NER: NDC MP chases road contractor from site; forcibly takes over contract awarded to new company

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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Yagaba Kubore in the North East Region has chased away, a contractor who has been sanctioned by government to work on a road project in the area.

The MP, Abdul Rauf Tanko Ibrahim whose company was awarded the contract to work on the road, abandoned site after receiving payments to the tune of 8 Million Ghana Cedis, out of a total of 11 Million Cedis he raised certificates for.

A statement issued by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) North East Regional Secretary, Lawyer Sulley Sambian and sighted by BestNewsGH.com explained that having abandoned the project after receiving payment, Authorities in the Region had no choice, but to re-award the contract to a new company for quick execution.

The statement in the possession of BestNewsGH.com read in part that ‘’Yesterday, the new contractor went to site only to be confronted by thugs operating at the instance of Honorable Tanko. The Honourable MP has since resumed operations on the site under the pretext of executing a project that has been terminated, forcing the new contractor to move out of site for fear of his life.’’

The statement impressed upon the MP, whose company is named Tasskalia, to resort to the law courts and avoid elements of thuggery, violence and other anti-social vices that has the potential to derail the progress of the Constituency and the Regions as whole.

‘’Do we really have to remind Honourable Tanko that the courts exist to give vent to civil rights and to enforce contractual obligations? If he feels his contract was wrongfully terminated, his recourse is the court, not this Rambo style. He must equally be reminded that, one man cannot be repository of violence. The earlier he understood this for all of us to live harmoniously, the better!’’ the statement added.

Read the details of the statement below:

 

GO TO COURT IF YOU HAVE A CASE

TERMINATION OF TASSKALIA CONTRACT AND MATTERS ARISING

BACKGROUND:

In August 2016, the government of Ghana awarded a contract to TASSKALIA Ltd, a company whose mind is directed by the Member of Parliament for Yagaba Kubore Constituency. The contract had a life span of two years and covered a distance of 36 kms from Yagaba to Kubore, and then to Wiase.

Following the inability of the company to promptly execute the project, the Government of Ghana through the Ghana Highways Authority reviewed the project to cover a distance of 12 Kilometers from Yagaba to Kubore

During the period, Honourable Tanko presented two certificates for payment totalling about 11 Million cedis. The Government of Ghana through the Road Fund honoured payment to the tune of about 8 Million Cedis.

Upon receipt of the payment, Honourable Tanko failed to go back to site, prompting the youth of the Constituency to embark on series of demonstrations. The matter eventually got to the Kubore Chief’s palace where Honorable Tanko admitted to a part payment of about 3 Million Cedis, a figure the NPP disputes.

The NDC in the North East Region, realising that their MP would court bad publicity for himself quickly released a pathetically lame statement accusing the NPP parliamentary candidate for Yagaba Kubore, Honourable Mustapha Ussif, of sabotaging the efforts of Honourable Tanko, and masterminding a grand scheme to have his contract terminated.

The Regional Secretariat of the NPP promptly issued a rejoinder daring Honorable Tanko to deny payment of the amount of about 8 Million to him by the Road Fund. Whilst the challenge was yet to be taken by Honorable Tanko, the Government of Ghana terminated the contract and re-awarded same to Mawums Company Ltd.

Two days ago, the North-East Regional Minister, handed over site of Tanko’s abandoned and terminated project to Mawums Company Ltd.

Yesterday, the new contractor went to site only to be confronted by thugs operating at the instance of Honorable Tanko. The Honourable MP has since resumed operations on the site under the pretext of executing a project that has been terminated, forcing the new contractor to move out of site for fear of his life.

As an honorable member of parliament, the conduct of Tanko is extremely unparliamentary. He has a duty to inculcate a culture of civility in the people he seeks to lead. He has a duty to lead by example.

Do we really have to remind Honourable Tanko that the courts exist to give vent to civil rights and to enforce contractual obligations? If he feels his contract was wrongfully terminated, his recourse is the court, not this Rambo style. He must equally be reminded that, one man cannot be repository of violence. The earlier he understood this for all of us to live harmoniously, the better!

As a Region, we remember ingloriously, the physical attack Honourable Tanko meted out to a colleague member of parliament few years ago. It was bad enough; a replication of this conduct in his constituency cannot be the price the people have to pay for the undeserved honour of making him their member of parliament. At least if it is not a blessing, it must not be such a glaringly bad fortune. Macho theatrics as a means of ventilating rights is no longer even practised by lesser animals! Posterity will definitely not look kindly at us if we plunge our region into avoidable chaos and conflict. If the regional NPP had not timeously intervened, violent clash would have erupted in Yagaba.

We are aware of Tanko’s schemes to cause confusion in Yagaba. We are equally aware of the late hour meeting he held with some youth of the NDC in other Constituencies from the region last night. A meeting which started from 10 pm till 2 a.m. this morning!

Honorable Tanko appears to be giving little thought to danger. It is called foolhardiness.

We appeal to the security agencies to pay keen attention to the unhealthy development in Yagaba to prevent a breach of the peace.

 

Thank you

Sulley Sambian

North-East Regional Secretary

To all media platforms

Source: BestNewGH.com


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Kennedy Mornah is an Award Winning Ghanaian Journalist with over two decades of experience in the Ghanaian Media landscape spanning the electronic, print and digital media. He is a Media Consultant, a Corporate MC, Radio and TV Host, Founder and Publisher of the Maritime and Transport Digest Newspaper, Businessman, a Go getter and an optimist. He has worked for renowned media organizations including Diamond Fm in Tamale, Luv Fm in Kumasi, Oman Fm in Accra and Starr Fm in Accra In 2017 he received the Reporter of the Year Award at the Ghana Shippers Awards in Accra, Ghana.

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