Sekondi,Sept.23,GNA — Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, on Thursday intimated that, all contractors engaged on Ghana Education Trust Fund(GETFund) projects in the Region, must complete work by end of the year or would be blacklisted.

He said over 100 GETfund and Ministry of Education projects in the Region have delayed unduly by the contractors creating pressure on schools that dearly needed them to accommodate students.

“I am very much concerned with the delay tactics been adopted by some contractors working on GETfund and Ministry of Education projects in the Region.

Mr. Aidoo expressed these sentiments at the inauguration of the Regional Coordinating Council members at Sekondi.

“It is regrettable that some contractors are holding on with projects awarded to them in 2009/2010, most of which are the emergency classroom blocks and dormitories,” he stressed.

Mr. Aidoo also expressed dismay about inferior materials and shoddy work executed by some contractors and charged supervisors of projects to report such contractors for due sanctions.

The Regional Minister lamented that although the Region boasts of numerous natural resources, its people live in abject poverty and under-development and urged all stakeholders in the Region to join forces to lift the region from the economic quagmire.

He mentioned other challenges confronting the Region such as chieftaincy disputes, land litigations, illegal logging and small scale mining, particularly in the Tarkwa, Prestea, Wassa Akropong, Akyempim and Telekubokazo that are degrading the environment.

Mr. Aidoo bemoaned fast depletion of the forest resources, saying an estimated forest reserve area of 243.98km square within the Region had been degraded with 80.42km square been converted to forest plantation.

He urged the assemblies, District Security Committees (DISEC) and the Forestry Commission to work tirelessly to recover the depleted forest and curtail all illegal activities that did not augur well for sustained developmental efforts.

The Regional Minister entreated Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to liaise with the traditional authorities and land owners to ensure that planning schemes are put in place, taking cognizance of open spaces, drainage and recreational spots, before building plans are approved and permits issued.