Local Government Minister Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah has expressed dissatisfaction with the construction work at the Mallam Market in Accra, describing it as “extremely poor.”
In a stern tone, he ordered the contractors to redo the facility, stating that the current work was unacceptable and would not pass inspection.
“I wonder how anybody will do this and say it should pass for an inspection. I have asked the Chief Executive to take action on this. We need to immediately redo virtually everything; the entire thing as it stands is rejected. I don’t think we should let this pass for using government money,” Mr Korsah stated.
The Minister highlighted that inferior materials were used in the construction, which is against the government’s specifications.
He emphasised that the government paid for quality work, and if substandard work is delivered, it is the contractor’s responsibility.
“The government will not bear a pesewa out of this shoddy work done. Not in my ministry. So whoever didn’t make good use of the government’s money would have to find money and do it,” he added.
This issue came to light during the Minister’s tour of markets in Accra on Thursday, July 18, to inspect the adequacy of market sheds and centres in the region.
However, the contractors have defended the current state of the market.
Dr Andrews Kwablah, Chief Executive Officer of MKA Consult, who supervised the project, explained that the site presented significant challenges.
“This is a very difficult site. To begin with, it was a mushy area that had been recovered. The recovery was done before we came, and they used refuse, so you are having decomposition of the refuse down there, on top of which we put a gravel cap to put up the structures,” he said.
Dr Kwablah also disputed the claim that inferior materials were used, stating that “lab tests were conducted on the materials before their use.”
“So you may see a material that may not look good to you, but depending on the lab test result, you then conclude definitely that they are not good enough,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the sheds have already been occupied by traders.