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Work overtime if you must – Oppong Nkrumah charges contractors on GARID project
The Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has tasked contractors working on the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project to expedite construction works to mitigate the risk of flooding in the Capital during the rainy season.
The Minister’s directive came in a meeting on Friday, April 12, 2024, with project coordinators and contractors to address delays plaguing the critical initiative.
“We’ve assessed how far the project is going and we’ve had a number of site visits to see for ourselves the kind of work that’s going on. After this appraisal, it’s fair for us to say that the project is not moving as quickly as we all expected,” he said.
He highlighted various bottlenecks hampering the project. The initial project framework, the Minister explained, mandated a two-step review process for every task, creating unnecessary delays. Additionally, compensating project-affected residents to facilitate work in certain locations encountered setbacks.
Further, the Minister pointed out instances where contractors deviated from project specifications without seeking prior approval. Perhaps the most concerning delay stemmed from a budgetary reallocation with a significant portion of project funds, estimated at $65 million, diverted towards COVID-19-related expenditures.
Addressing the Hurdles the Minister outlined a series of measures to tackle these challenges. To address the compensation delays.
He announced that provisions have been made to ensure swift payments to affected residents, freeing up critical work areas.
On the financial front, Mr Oppong Nkrumah reassured contractors that the government is actively working with Parliament to make available the outstanding funds, including the diverted $65 million.
A Race Against Time
While acknowledging the challenges, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah emphasised the urgency of the completion of the GARID projects. He said the impending rainy season poses a serious threat to flood-prone communities hence, contractors must act swiftly to safeguard lives and infrastructure.
He reassured contractors of the Ministry’s support in providing the needed support to ensure work progresses with speed.
source: Citinewsroom.com
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
