Contractors duped by the Chief Executive Officef (CEO) of Ghana First Company Limited (GFCL) have expressed their worries and frustrations regarding to locked funds.
These contractors in an interview with this news portal, www.thenewindependentonline.com revealed that, an amount of three thousand dollars ($300,000) was agreed upon that, Ghana First Company Limited (GFCL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a German firm, Thermodul Systems (GmBH).
This MoU was as a result of a publication on the Daily Graphic online portal on the 7th of May 2018, with the headline “Boost for sanitation efforts”, Ghana First Company to build 20,000 modern toilet facilities across the country”
With regards to the above information, on the 24th April 2018, the Managing Director of GFCL, Mr Frank Akulley and the Managing Director of Thermodul Systems GmBH, Lidia Mathe entered into a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with the various Metropolitan, Municipals and the District Assemblies (MMDAs) to construct these facilities throughout the country under a program dubbed, “Clean Ghana Project” aimed at eradicating open defecation in the country.
To that effect, a letter signed with ref#SCR/FC101/412/6 by one of the deputies of Local Government and Rural Development, Hon. O.B Amoah dated 9th August, 2017 gave contractors the nod, hence the contract.
In the letter to these contractors, they are to use their own resources to complete about sixty percent (60%) of the project before they can be paid via Ghana First Company Limited.
This according to the contractors, they were forced to pay an amount of Ghc 1,000 to GFCL Managing Director, Mr. Frank Akulley after completing the 60percent of the project agreed upon which some even did above to facilitate the visitation of their sites, hence approval to contractors they (FGCL) deemed have obliged and reached the 60% minimum threshold..
However, along the line, it appeared that, the mother company, Thermodul Systems GmBH terminated their contract with its local partner, Ghana First Company Limited over breach of contract that is, GFCL illegally extorting monies from the contractor before awarding them the contracts.
The unfortunate event, according to them, made payment of their 60percent difficult to claim hence, a tug of war between them and the local partner, Ghana First Company Limited with the claims that, its mother company, the main financier of the project cannot be found.
Meanwhile, the agitated contractors revealed that, they had to demolish some existing deplorable toilet facilities, which served the communities for the 3 months ultra-modern project in some parts of the country.
However due to the non- payment of these contractors, the projects have stalled for months creating serious health concerns as the affected residents resort to open defecation.
These lands which belong to the government the contractors fumed are been used by the same government for its flagship project, ‘One District-One Factory, hence called on government to wake up and address their grievances.
To them, if their agitations are not addressed by the government, they will embark on a massive demonstration in the next 7 days if nothing is being done about it.
Therefore challenged the local partner for the project that, if they believe they genuine as they GFCL claims as well have the money, they the contractors are giving them seven (7) days ultimatum from now to honor its payment certificates as a responsible company.
Adding that, recusal to honor their call, they will be left with no other option than to mount serious demonstrations, so that, the whole world would know about all these scandalous activities carried out by GFCL under this government.
Source: News Desk
