Wa, Aug. 7, GNA - More than 400 bungalows and low cost houses occupied by public servants in the Upper West Region cannot be maintained owing to the inadequate budgetary allocation to the Public Works Department (PWD) for that purpose.

The Regional PWD is allocated a paltry eight million cedis annually for routine maintenance works with no provision for major maintenance works, says Mr Kabutei Nartey, the Regional PWD Engineer. He was reacting to numerous complaints about the failure of the Department to have the bungalows, which are in various stages of disrepair, fixed, during a meeting of Heads of Decentralised Departments at Wa on Wednesday.

The Departmental Heads claimed that some of the houses had never seen any maintenance since they were built.

This, they say, had resulted in deep cracks on the walls, leaking roofs, broken louver blades, faulty locks and discolouration. The Regional Engineer suggested to the authorities that since occupants of the bungalows paid their rents into the consolidated fund, government should consider releasing at least 50 per cent of the rent to the Department to take care of major maintenance works on the bungalows and low cost houses.

The meeting also discussed pertinent issues relating to transfers and work attitude of Civil Servants. They were reminded of a ban on drinking of alcohol during working hours and were urged to observe it.