A section of the youth in the Upper West Region have poured out their frustration at the continuous delay and shift in timelines for the completion of the Upper West Regional Youth Resource Centre at Wa.
The group calling itself ‘Sports Serial Callers Association of the Upper West Region’ thus poured out in their numbers on the streets of Wa to register their displeasure.
Speaking to GBC’s Mark Smith, the President of the group, Nuhu Alhassan said the straw that broke the camel’s back was that several attempts to meet the Contractor of the project who doubles as the Managing Director of Habkay Enterprise Limited, Hadih Bin Salih and the MCE for Wa Municipal, Alhaji Issahaku Tahiru Moomen proved futile.
AFTER THE DEMONSTRATION
After registering their displeasure with a demonstration, the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih invited the leadership and some members of the ‘Sports Serial Callers Association of the Upper West Region’ for a meeting. The meeting was to enable the Regional Minister to understand the concerns of the group while focusing on strategies to address the concerns of the group members.
After the meeting at the Minister’s office at the Regional Coordinating Council, leadership along with the Regional Minister and his Deputy, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku visited the Upper West Regional Youth Resource Centre and were conducted round by the Project Architect, Asana Adams.
MINISTER’S REMARKS
During the meeting with members of the group, the Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Bin Salih indicated that the early completion of the project and subsequent commissioning of the facility by the President for use by residents is something he has invested in.
He mentioned that the facility would help in the development of sporting activities in the region thus his commitment to see its completion on time.
Dr Bin Salih said he was impressed with the progress of work at the facility, pointing out the ongoing roofing of the VIP stand and the completion of some ancillary facilities. He said the President is committed to ensuring that all 10 centres across the country will be completed and opened for use by the end of the year.
CONFLICTING TIMELINES
Speaking to the media during the visit, the Upper West Regional Minister and the members of the ‘Sports Serial Callers Association of the Upper West Region’, the Project Architect, Asana Adams pegged the level of completion of work at the facility at 75%.
The Project Architect, Asana Adams said for ‘Stand A’, the work not done constitutes minor construction work including general painting, polishing of terrazzo, fixing of louvre blades amongst others as with the other 2 stands.
She said the VIP stand is currently being roofed as part of the specifications of the project contract. The Project Architect said for the pitch, the only work left to do is filling with black soil and subsequent grassing. She said the project would be completed by the middle of the year.
It would be recalled that earlier this year, the Contractor of the project who doubles as the Managing Director of Habkay Enterprise Limited, Hadih Bin Salih mentioned that the facility would be completed by April this year.
When quizzed on the initial timeline given by the Contractor, the Project Architect, Asana Adams explained: “the contractor is not here [present at site], we are here so let us just be realistic.”
GROUP’S ULTIMATUM
After the meeting with the Minister, the leader of the ‘Sports Serial Callers Association of the Upper West Region’, Nuhu Alhassan who spoke to GBC said they are giving contractors of the project a period of 3 months to finish the project. Mr Alhassan indicated that if their timeline is not met, they will forward their concerns to the Sports Ministry and the Presidency.
BACKGROUND
Contract for the construction of the Upper West Regional Youth Resource Centre was signed in April 2018. The contract originally was to be completed over a 9-month period. Extensions were however given when structural changes were made in the initial design and contract.
According to the Project Architect, the changes included additional washrooms in some of the stands, newly incorporated washrooms at the ‘Stand B’ where the restaurant is to be located, demolishing of older structures behind ‘Stand C’ and filling and elevation of certain parts of the VIP Stand.
The Upper West Youth Resource centre at Wa when completed would boast of 3 regular stands and an additional VIP stand. The facility will also have a multi-purpose indoor sports centre fitted with gyms, changing rooms and IT centre. There is also expected to be a restaurant and an open-air convertible space for outdoor programmes.
Story filed by Mark Smith.
