The South Tongu District Chief Executive, Hon. Victoria Dzeklo, has warned that the government, as part of its reset agenda, will not tolerate delays in contract execution or poor-quality work. She stressed that the era when contractors got away with substandard projects is over, adding that the country cannot continue to waste scarce resources on shoddy construction.
Her caution came during an inspection of ongoing projects in the district, particularly the three-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities for the Atsieve D.A. Basic School. The project includes an office, ICT and library spaces, a head teacher’s office, and a staff common room.
Started in 2018 with funding from the District Assembly’s Common Fund, the project stalled until the change of government in January 2025. It was later revived under the government’s legacy projects initiative to save taxpayers’ money. The same contractor, Theo Tech Construction Company Limited, is executing the project, but despite completing about 75 percent of the work, the DCE and her engineers expressed disappointment at the slow pace and poor quality of materials being used.
Since the resumption last year, two payments have been made to the contractor, yet several fittings, including doors, frames, and water closet materials, remain unfixed. This has raised doubts about whether the project will be completed by the June 2026 deadline.
Speaking to the media, Hon. Dzeklo criticized the contractor’s performance and summoned him to appear before the Assembly’s management to answer questions. She reiterated that neither the Assembly nor the government will accept delays or tolerate substandard work. She noted that engineers had inspected the site a month earlier and found no progress since then.
The DCE warned that the Assembly would not hesitate to terminate the contract and hire a new contractor if necessary. She emphasized the importance of the project, pointing out that the only Junior High School block currently used by pupils is an old mud structure built years ago through communal labor. The building has developed cracks, its roof is collapsing, and it poses a danger to students.
Two pupils interviewed expressed hope that the new classroom block would be completed soon, relieving them from the risks of studying in a dilapidated structure.
