The West Gonja District Assembly in the northern region of Ghana has cut sod for the construction of a Business Advisory/Resource Center (BAC) in Damongo.
This falls in line with the One District,One Factory flagship programme of the Akuffo-Addo led government.
The District Coordinating Director,Mr. Salifu Mahmmod who represented the DCE at the ceremony,handed over the contract site and plan to Tonacom Company limited,the contractors,who are expected to complete the project within nine (9) months with funding from African Development Bank.
The director reiterated the fact that,it has always been the long term objective of the assembly to construct such a resource center to aid the growth of local businesses and create jobs for the teaming youth."We are so much interested in creating jobs for the teaming youth to improve the life style or welfare of the people for better future.The resource center will exist to assist in promoting economic activities towards job creation, improved efficiency, increased profit and poverty alleviation in the District,"he said.
According to him,the assembly was among the few beneficiaries of the project, urging the contractors to consider local content in employment and work within stipulated time in executing the contract, adding that all the due processes has been followed in securing the land and there was no fear of litigation now or in the future.
He urged the District Works Department to ensure value for money by strictly supervising the execution of the project,disclosing that the DCE was in Accra for an equally important assignment which includes securing a commercial bus for the assembly.
The presiding member (PM),Hon.Dramani Katribi thanked the Trade and Tourism ministry for choosing West Gonja District among the 30 Districts benefiting from the project across the country and three(3) Districts in the northern region.He craved for quality work from the contractor and preached the local content theory,calling on the contractor to consider the local labour in executing the contract.
As the Assembly person of the area,he promised to render his full support to the contractors to deliver quality work.
The consultant, Mr. Samuel Opata explained that,in line with government's policy of assisting Small, Medium and Large scale businesses geared towards the taking off of the One District- One Factory (1D-1F), the center will provide all the necessary support to people who want to start new businesses and help improve on the few existing one's.
He said,"The resource centers which were started sometime ago have been upscaled to Business Resource Centers.In the northern region, Damongo, Sagnerigu and Yendi are the proud beneficiaries of the lot-5 after they successfully went through the procurement process.The site was inspected on two different occasions. It has gone through the design face,accepted by the experts and the funding agency,African Development Bank".
He called on the assembly to provide the needed support to the contractor to enable him execute the job in time by holding regular site meetings with the right stakeholders.
The District Engineer, Mr Richard Atta Yawson,disclosed that he was going to work closely with the Works department to make sure the contractor delivers quality work within stipulated time.He reminded the contractor of the need to speed up work because of the rains, and never hesitate to seek for assistance when the need arises.
The leader of the construction company, Mr. Jonathan Dotse promised his outfit was going to deliver the project within the nine month contract period and will fall on the people for human resource and the assembly for the needed support.
The short ceremony was graced by the District Coordinating Director and his deputy, the Human Resource Manager and his deputy, representatives from the Planning Department,Procurement and Budget unit,Traditional council,the NPP among others.
The construction of the centre is expected to be completed in nine months