The Auditor-General has cited Makro Structures Limited for abandoning the Covid-19 isolation and treatment centre project at Nalerigu in the North East Region.
According to the audit service, the contractor was awarded the GH¢15 million project by government on May 11, 2020, and was due for completion in October 2022.
It was subsequently paid GH¢4.5 million, representing 30 per cent of the total amount, to commence the design, construction and equipping of the centre.
However, the Auditor-General, in its latest report on government’s Covid-19 expenditure between March 2020 and June 2022, indicated that Makro Structures Limited, after commencing work in October 2021, completed up to 10 per cent of the construction work and left the site in December 2021.
“A written communication from the director of the Infrastructure Directorate indicates that the director had made several efforts to get the contractor to the site, but the contractor was unwilling to continue.
“The absence of a performance bond has contributed to the difficulty in recovering the amount paid to the contractor for non-performance,” reads part of the audit report.
The Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, also noted that the abandonment was hampering government’s efforts to establish a treatment and holding centre in the North East Region.
He, however, recommended that the Chief Director should recover the mobilisation amount, terminate the contract and re-award the construction of the project to a more committed contractor.
