A contractor, Owusu Agyekum Kontoh, has locked up the Akyem Asene Roman Catholic Basic School in the Asene-Manso-Akroso District of the Eastern Region due to the government’s failure to pay him for work done 8 years ago.
The school building, which was handed over 8 years ago, comprises a 6-unit classroom block with two offices, a computer lab, and a toilet facility.
The contractor stated that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) is the major defaulter, owing unpaid certificates for several years.
Owusu Agyekum Kontoh began work in 2016, completed the project, and handed over the keys to the school to the District Education Directorate in 2020. However, the government has not paid him despite presenting his certificate for payment years ago.
Frustrated by the government’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations, Mr. Owusu decided to lock up the school building as a form of protest.
The stranded pupils of Akyem Asene Roman Catholic School have appealed to the Asene-Manso-Akroso District Assembly to urgently resolve the matter to enable them to access the classrooms for learning.