Education Minister blames Mahama for stalled E-blocks project
Arguments regarding the E-block started under President John Mahama regime to improve Senior High School infrastructure have come up once again and this time round Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has laid the blame on the erstwhile Mahama administration for delays in the completion of the E-blocks.
He cited the bottom-line of the situation as being the fact that the Mahama-led administration failed to secure adequate funds for the project which have now caused the delay in its completion.
“The E-block that we came to meet, only 23 had dedicated funds, so it was easy to execute. For all the others, there was no dedicated budget source. For any project that you want to do, you have to make sure there is money set aside. During their [NDC] time, they did something that led to this crisis of some people saying their E-blocks have not been completed,” he said
According to reports, only 29 out of the 124 projects were completed between 2014 and 2016, while 31 new schools were constructed in 2017, bringing the total number of completed projects to 60 as of September 2020.
In a bid to boost the numbers entering Senior High School the Mahama-led administration commenced the E-block project and since coming into opposition, they have called out the Akufo-Addo administration for its failure to continue or open completed projects for use.
It appears a lot of factors have led to the stalling of projects as the completed ones have been abandoned, contractors working on other projects, including the day schools, health facilities, and roads, have been compelled to abandon their sites amidst blames and counter-blames between the NDC and NPP over whose irresponsibility is causing the delays.
The Minority Caucus members on the Education Committee in Ghana’s legislature had earlier resolved to haul the Education Minister to the floor of the House to answer critical questions on the state of uncompleted E-block projects.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
