Tamale: A team of technocrats from the Social Investment Fund (SIF) have inspected a GHc 1.324 million renovated office structure belonging to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tamale. The renovation project was solely funded by the Africa Development Bank (ADB) with technical support from the SIF and the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL). This initiative is part of a three-million dollar allocation to the GNA under the Post Covid-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP).
According to Ghana News Agency, the PSDPEP is a $24 million initiative funded by the African Development Bank, aimed at revitalizing Ghana's economy. The team expressed satisfaction with the construction firm's progress, noting both the speed and quality of work being delivered ahead of the timelines.
The renovation work at the GNA office in Tamale includes replacing louvre blades with sliding windows, re-roofing the entire structure, changing tiles from PVC to ceramic, rewiring electrical systems, and providing new water, sewerage, and plumbing systems. Painting has also been done to give the place a significant facelift. Other structural enhancements, such as wall fencing and the development of stores to boost income, are under consideration by ADB and its partners.
Since its construction about 50 years ago, the structure has not undergone any major renovation. This support from the Africa Development Bank is seen as a significant relief to the management and staff of the Agency, contributing to improved efficiency and productivity.
The SIF team included Dr. Kwaku Agbesi, Procurement Specialist, Mr. MacDonald Acquah, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Ms. Franklina Lamptey, Gender Specialist, Mrs. Hannah Tenkorang, Internal Auditor, and Ms. Abigail Agyemang, an Assistant Budget Analyst at the Ministry of Finance. Following the inspection, the team instructed the contractor, SB Blessed Company Limited, to address a few corrections on the project.
Key recommendations made by the team included fixing water issues, possibly constructing a rainwater harvesting system and a borehole, cleaning the premises for commissioning, and planting an additional mango tree to support greening efforts. Mr. Wilfred Bobi of AESL reported that approximately 98 percent of the project had been completed.
Ms. Franklina Lamptey highlighted the contractor's ability to integrate gender-responsive facilities into the project and recommended the addition of a disability-friendly facility to the Manager's office. The renovation aims to enhance the structural and human resource base of the Agency.
The GNA is expected to develop audiovisual content for effective public health communication, encourage private-sector growth, address climate change, and advocate for sustainable development and gender mainstreaming through its media role. Selected for this project because of its vital role in credible and professional information dissemination, the GNA's renovation reflects its broader objectives of education and entertainment.