The CEO of Kontoh Sadea and Son’s Limited, Mr. Owusu Agyekum Kontoh on Wednesday morning locked down the Asene Roman Catholic school in the Asene Manso Akroso District of the Eastern Region over debt owed him by the government.
The school children were chased out of the classroom and the whole building was locked and keyed by the CEO.
The teachers and pupils were left stranded outside the school building for some hours before it was opened again for the students to enter after several interventions by authorities.
Mr. Owusu Agyekum Kontoh speaking to Oyerepa TV in an interview stated that, it has been long since he completed the school building but up till now not all his monies have been paid.
According to the contractor he completed the project in 2016, and all the necessary documents needed to be submitted for settlement has been submitted but to no avail.
He said he has exhausted all avenues available and his last option for him to get his money is to close down the facility. He believes that is the only language authorities will understand better.
He said he has a very good heart for children but will not let his hard-earned money go down the drain.
He called on the government to settle him as soon as possible so that there would be peace.
The school authorities and children on the other hand pleaded with the government to settle the contractor so that they would have peace of mind to study like their other colleagues are doing in other schools.
The approach of the contractor was not taken likely by the District Chief Executive. That led to a heated aquarrel between the contractor and the DCE of Asene Manso Akroso District, Hon. Alex Incoom.
According to the DCE, they have paid the contractor part of the money owed him, and they are working on the remaining amount of the money to be given to him so he doesn’t understand why the contractor had to locked down the school.
He threatened to break the paddlocks for teaching and learning to go on.
Representatives from the District Education Directorate who also troup to the school made several efforts to calm nerves and pleaded with the contractor to open the facility for the pupils to enter for study. Based on that the contractor agreed and gave the government fourteen days ultimatum to settle the debt owed him else the school would be locked again.
Report by Samuel Quao.