MP for Wenchi Drags Minister to Parliament over Abandoned Projects in Al-Farouq College

The Member of Parliament for Wenchi Constituency in the Bono Region, Hon Haruna Seidu, has expressed dissatisfaction about the abandoned education infrastructure projects being funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GetFund) in the Constituency.

According to him, several of GetF und projects in the Al Farouq College of Education in Wenchi have stalled since the change of government in 2017, thereby affecting quality education in the area.

Mr. Seidu expressed disappointment when he dragged the Minister for education to parliament on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, over the abandoned GetFund projects in Al Farouq Colleges of Education in Wenchi.

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Education the status of the following seven additional school infrastructural projects awarded on contract by the previous administration in May 2016 for the Al-Farouq College of Education, Wenchi: (i) Lecture Hall/Laboratory block (ii) Hostel (iii) Two-Storey Administration Block (iv) Multipurpose Hall (v) Model School (vi) Principal’s Bungalow (vii) Toilet Block and external works?” he quizzed the Minister.

In response, the Sector Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said, the list of projects including the Lecture Hall/Laboratory block, Hostel, Two-Storey Administration Block, Multipurpose Hall, Model School, Toilet Block and external works were awarded in 2015.

According to him, the Contractors abandoned the site shortly after site clearing, but only the contractor for the construction of the Principal’s Bungalow vacated the site after the project was raised to lintel level.

Nonetheless, the Minister indicated that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and Al-Farouq College of Education are taking steps to re-award the projects subject to the availability of funds.

But Hon Seidu said he was dissatisfied with the Minister’s response on the ground that the delay in completing the projects for over six years is affecting the academic activities of the College.

He noted that there was thus the need for the government to expedite action and rearward the projects for construction to resume and complete the project to promote education in the area.