Apramang (Ash), July 28, GNA - Dr Richard Wilfred Anane, Minister of Roads and Highways, has given a one-week ultimatum to Mr K.A. Kwateng, the contractor awarded a contract to rehabilitate the Daban-Sokoban Road, to either start work or forfeit the contract. He said the ultimatum had become necessary in view of the Contractor's delay in starting the job since it was awarded to him in 2000.

Dr Anane was addressing a durbar held by Apramang, Daban Panin and Daban Kumaa communities at Apramang, near Kumasi on Sunday. Dr Anane, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bantama Constituency, under which the communities fall, explained some government policies and deliberations at Parliament to the people. He said he had already given instructions to the Department of Urban Roads as to the sanctions to be imposed should the contractor fail to start work on the road by the deadline.

Reacting to allegations that the delay in the execution of the project was because the government was indebted to the Contractor, the Minister said: "I can say with all certainty that we do not owe Mr Kwateng anything as all arrears due him have long been cleared." On the decision by the government to come out with designs for the construction and reshaping of the Accra-Kumasi, Tema-Aflao and Mallam-Yamoransa Roads to turn them into dual carriage systems, Dr Anane said it was not for the purpose of scoring political points as was being peddled in certain circles.

''The decision was based on the fact that dual carriages have the capability of reducing motor accidents by between 30 per cent and 40 per cent and also the realisation that dual carriage road systems are the surest guarantee to safety.''