Stories From Richard Attenkah
Reconstruction works on the net mending wharf for artisanal fishermen operating at the Tema Fishing Harbour Landing Beach is currently on hold, following the decision of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), the company that gave out the contract, to terminate it.
The GPHA awarded the contract to FNB Investment Ghana Limited in November 2011 to support the artisanal fishing activities of the local fisher-folks, after the one they were using became dilapidated many years ago.
In November, 2011, therefore, when the late President John Evans Atta-Mills paid a working visit to the area, the fisher-folks pleaded with him to consider reconstructing the net mending wharf for them.
The late president then charged the Port Authority to see to it that it awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the wharf for the benefit of the fishermen.
The GPHA wasted no time to get the work done, and early this year, Mrs. Dzifa Ativor, Minister of Transport, visited the construction site to familiarise himself with work on the project.
Julius Carl Hermond, Project Manager for FNB Investment Ghana Limited, promised the Minister in the presence of the media that he was optimistic that by June this year, his outfit would complete the reconstruction works.
However, work on the project continues to be at a standstill, thus prompting the GPHA to terminate the contract and look at the way forward.
According to information gathered by the Tema File, the GPHA terminated the contract with effect from 28 November, 2013.
The information continued that the GPHA sent a query letter to FNB Investment Ghana Limited, but the company refused to respond to it.
“You have refused, failed, or neglected to respond to our query letter, the project is far behind completion,” a portion of the query letter stated.
In terminating the contract, the GPHA also threatened to exercise its rights under the said contract, to ensure that FNB Investment Ghana Limited does not cheat the port authority.
The GPHA, according to the paper’s information, has asked the company to be present to work with its project engineer on Friday 29th November to evaluate the work done by FNB Investment Ghana Limited.
If project engineers of the company fail to turn up, GPHA will go ahead to evaluate work done, and later take legal action against the company to retrieve any outstanding payments.”
When contacted, the Public Relations Manager of GPHA, Madam Joana Adda, confirmed that her outfit had terminated the contract.