Ashanti Region: Major projects comes to halt over lack of funds

Progress on three major projects in the Ashanti Region have come to a stand-still due to lack of funds.

These projects include phase two of the Kumasi International Airport and Kejetia Central Market and the 500-bed capacity maternity and children block at the KATH.

The Mayor of Kumasi Samuel Pyne in an interview with Accra based Citi News, attributed the halt to the government’s debt restructuring programme which is part of the bailout the country is presently seeking from the IMF.

“I don’t want to use the word stalled because it has been put on hold purposely because the government is doing a restructuring of our debt profile and most of these contracts fall under the projects that have been put on hold, and it is not only the Kumasi Central Market phase two or the Maternity and Baby Unit at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.” he said.

He, however, assured that works on the project will resume once the debt restructuring programme ends.

“Work will resume after the completion of the debt restructuring programme.” he added.

Sources on the other hand reveal that the Ministry of Finance since December 2022, stopped releasing funds for the projects leading to the laying off of some 2000 workers.

Some residents in Kumasi fear the projects will be abandoned and have thus called on government to find ways to ensure work resumes in the nearest possible time.