Sekondi, April 3, GNA - Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister on Thursday warned that contractors who had been paid for various projects in Western Region but failed to execute them for more than a year would be forced to refund them.

Addressing a meeting with the leadership of political parties in the Region at Sekondi, Mr Aidoo said some contractors had abandoned projects for which they had been paid, while others had undertaken shoddy work or unduly delayed their projects to the detriment of the Region.

He said contracts would be awarded to capable contractors irrespective of their political affiliations to improve the infrastructure base of the Region.

Mr Aidoo said all projects started by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government in the Region would be completed before new ones were implemented.

He asked leaders of political parties to impress upon their members who were contractors to execute their contracts satisfactorily to move the Region forward.

"Leaders of political parties should place the interest and development of the Region above their own, contribute towards its development and differentiate between political parties activities and development issues," he said.

Mr Aidoo asked leaders of political parties to share ideas with the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council on how best to proceed with the Region's development and not to wait until during elections. He said they should in addition mobilise their members and supporters for clean-up exercises and other development programmes. Representatives of the political parties expressed their preparedness to participate in development efforts in the Region.