Teaching and learning activities at the Akenten Presbyterian Primary School in the Sene West District of the Brong Ahafo region, continues to be negatively affected due to the non-completion of a six-unit classroom block.
The basic school, with 295 pupils have been fighting for space, with its junior high school in an uncompleted six-unit classroom block, partly funded with oil-revenue proceeds.
A visit to the school by a team from the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) and Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) on revealed that the six-unit classroom block with its ancillary facilities, is yet to see final completion, six years on after it was awarded for contract.
Records obtained from the school showed that the Akenten Presbyterian Primary school which was awarded to Messrs BuKhan Ghana Limited on December 21, 2011 and scheduled to be completed in 5 calendar months, was later re-awarded to Messrs Multi Concepts Services, Accra in, 2012, because the former, “deserted the site for more than a year”.
Further information given from the Ministry of Education (MoE) to the PIAC/IFEJ team who were in the Brong Ahafo region to inspect projects supported with oil revenue proceeds, indicated that the Akenten Presby Primary school project was allocated Gh¢91,341.18 of the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) and had its contract sum estimated at a cost Gh¢297,290.72.
Messrs BuKhan Ghana Limited, the original contractor later returned to site to complete the project but was stopped following a document of abrogation sent to the District Education Directorate to prevent him from continuing.
The development led to an abandoned, unroofed edifice also situated on the school compound.
Speaking to the visiting team in a telephone conversation, Messrs Multi Concepts mentioned that their outfit received an amount of Gh¢108,753.52 on December 31, 2013, then later on, on October 8, 2014 received Gh¢81,190.02 totaling an amount of Gh¢189,943.54 which excluded a 5 per cent withholding tax.
This amount represented a 74 per cent of total work done as against submitting a certificate for 80 per cent of total work done.
The new contractor, since 2013 likewise did not return to site to complete the project, due to the delay in the release of funds from the appropriate quarters.
Addressing journalists, the Headteacher of the Akenten Presby Primary, Kofi Oporku hinted that the District Directorate of Education is yet to deliver on its promise of addressing the challenges they face as an institution focused on nurturing the younger generation.
The Akenten Presby Primary School lacks access to potable water, electricity, accommodation for teaching staff, recreational materials, computers among others.
“We the teachers are more than 4 and we have only 4 teachers’ bungalows so if we get more we will be glad.”
“We also do not have water; this borehole here is not for the school, it is for the community so at times it becomes a tug of war when we go to draw water. Also the few recreational facilities you see were donated by World Vision Ghana”, Kofi Oporku noted.
Mr. Oporku who claims he was hearing for the first time that the uncompleted school building was constructed partly with oil money, appealed to government to do all it could to complete the structure.
“We will be very happy if the government comes in to complete the building for us, because right now it is making our teaching and learning difficult. We want other philanthropists to come in to assist us too”, the Akenten Presby Primary Headteacher added.
The school, since the mid 90’s have enjoyed infrastructural support from international non-governmental organisation, World Vision, in terms of 6 separate classroom blocks for the kindergarten and primary levels, 2 offices, 2 stores, places of convenience, a teachers bungalow, a playground and other teaching and learning materials.
Officials of the Ghana Oil and Gas for Inclusive Growth (GOGIG) were also on tour with PIAC and IFEJ team in the Brong Ahafo region.
By: Ghana/Ultimatefmonline.com/106.9FM/Patricia Ama Bonsu
