How to resolve AdBlock issue? Contractor Locks Kumasi School Over Unpaid Government Debt
Tuesday, 26 November 2024 | Ghana
In a dramatic move to highlight a long-standing financial grievance, building contractor Thomas Akwasi Frimpong, of Atofis Company Limited, locked the Old Tafo R/C Basic School in Kumasi on Monday. The action was his response to the government’s failure to pay for the construction of a two-story classroom block he built in 2008.
Frimpong revealed that he had pre-financed the project at a cost of GHS230,000, a sum he borrowed from a bank. Over the years, he claimed to have sold all his property to repay the loans, yet successive governments have failed to honor the debt owed to him.
Speaking to the media outside the locked school premises, Frimpong expressed his frustration and insisted that the students would not be allowed to use the building until the government settled the outstanding payment. “Since 2010, when the students moved into the building, the government hasn’t paid me. I’m not going to allow the students to use it anymore,” he stated.
The contractor, visibly aggrieved, emphasized the long duration of the dispute, noting, “It’s been over 14 years now. If the government had rented this building, wouldn’t they have paid by now? They should pay me, or the students won’t study here.”
Frimpong’s decision to lock the school was not spontaneous. In 2021, he had planned a similar action but refrained after interventions from some authorities who assured him of resolution. However, he lamented that these promises have yet to materialize, leaving him with no other option but to take matters into his own hands.
The situation, he said, is not politically motivated, despite his affiliation with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). “I’m not doing this because it’s an election year,” he clarified. “I’m a member of the NPP, but now I need my money. Enough is enough.”
The move has sparked discussions about government accountability and its impact on individuals who undertake projects on behalf of the state. Frimpong’s plight reflects the challenges many contractors face when payments for public works projects are delayed, sometimes for years.
While the Old Tafo R/C Basic School’s closure has disrupted learning, it has also brought attention to the financial struggles of contractors and the pressing need for reforms to ensure timely payments for government projects.
Frimpong revealed that he had pre-financed the project at a cost of GHS230,000, a sum he borrowed from a bank. Over the years, he claimed to have sold all his property to repay the loans, yet successive governments have failed to honor the debt owed to him.
Speaking to the media outside the locked school premises, Frimpong expressed his frustration and insisted that the students would not be allowed to use the building until the government settled the outstanding payment. “Since 2010, when the students moved into the building, the government hasn’t paid me. I’m not going to allow the students to use it anymore,” he stated.
The contractor, visibly aggrieved, emphasized the long duration of the dispute, noting, “It’s been over 14 years now. If the government had rented this building, wouldn’t they have paid by now? They should pay me, or the students won’t study here.”
Frimpong’s decision to lock the school was not spontaneous. In 2021, he had planned a similar action but refrained after interventions from some authorities who assured him of resolution. However, he lamented that these promises have yet to materialize, leaving him with no other option but to take matters into his own hands.
The situation, he said, is not politically motivated, despite his affiliation with the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). “I’m not doing this because it’s an election year,” he clarified. “I’m a member of the NPP, but now I need my money. Enough is enough.”
The move has sparked discussions about government accountability and its impact on individuals who undertake projects on behalf of the state. Frimpong’s plight reflects the challenges many contractors face when payments for public works projects are delayed, sometimes for years.
While the Old Tafo R/C Basic School’s closure has disrupted learning, it has also brought attention to the financial struggles of contractors and the pressing need for reforms to ensure timely payments for government projects.