The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Chairman of the Appiatse Reconstruction Implementation Team, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, says the contractors for Appiatsere construction are expected to move to site in two weeks.
Speaking to the media during a working visit to Appiatse yesterday to among others, inspect the laying out of the access roads yet to be constructed, MrOwusu-Biodisclosed that preparations towards the construction itself was at the procurement stage which he assured would not delay due to the urgent attention being given the project and was, therefore, hopeful that in two weeks time, contractors would be on site.
He noted that while the procurement processes were on course, the team would also ensure that demarcations for contractors and site officers on the site among others were done so that no time was wasted in the waiting process.
Mr Owusu-Bio also made it known that the Ministry of Roads and Highways acting through the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) had gotten approval from PPA to award the road construction at Appiatse township and so in a matter of weeks, contractors would be on site to commence their work.
Having taken a quick tour of the area Mr Owusu-Bio expressed his satisfaction with work done and expressed the hope that gradually they would get to ground zero.
“The work I have seen here is more than satisfactory, we have walked around the core area showcasing the opening for the roads to be constructed to the school, the market, the park and the clinic just as it showed on the planning scheme being used and I must say we are happy with our timelines, we are still on course,” he said.
Mr Owusu-Bio acknowledged some organisations which had pledged to provide the community with a school, clinic and a market as part of the reconstruction.
He expressed appreciation to the institutions and all the efforts Ghanaians had made in contributing towards such a worthy cause, saying, it was “overwhelming”, and added that the team needed GH¢ 75 million to be able to finish up the entire construction, working from the core to the peripherals.
Mr Owusu-Bio also thanked the chief, District Assembly members, the Municipal Chief Executive and the members of the ARIT team for displaying such sense of patriotism in discharging their duties.
Mr Blankson Hermans, a member of the Reconstruction Implementation Team and an architect from the Ghana Institute of Architects, explained some technicalities to the media saying that “works has commenced with the laying out of the road network and the survey works has also been completed and we are happy with the progress”.
He continued that grading of the roads are also on course to enable the engineers map out all the sectors which he noted are six in the core area, adding that these sectors will soon be developed with the caving of the inner road to make way for actual construction to begin.