A timely intervention by the new management of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) to renegotiate a building complex has led to 16 new apartments for COCOBOD staff.
The contract for the complex had been signed by the previous management with Armandi Construction but upon assuming office, the new management, not satisfied with the value for money in the contract, decided to engage the contractor to review its terms.
This led to the construction of an additional block made up of 16 apartments. The review process also secured a number of major facility improvements which included the entire apartments’ bathroom top cabinet, kitchen top cabinet, wardrobe (2 doors) for bedrooms, home lighting fixtures and ceiling fans.
This was made known by the Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo at the official taking over ceremony of a 208-unit apartment complex at its new Cocoa Village at Tema, today, 17 January 2019.
In his welcome address, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive of COCOBOD said the provision of good welfare is a very important part of the operation of COCOBOD. As such, management is committed to resolving, as a matter of priority, the needs of workers through the provision of welfare packages, such as transportation and accommodation.
“I must place on record whilst commending the previous management and board,” Hon. Aidoo said in his address, “that originally, 192 apartment units were to be built here at US$24 million. When the new administration took over, we decided to review the cost of putting up the facilities and in doing so we amended to project contract and were able to secure an additional block which is going to give us 16 additional apartments.”
The decision by the present management to review the project resulted in some US$3 million in cost savings to the original construction price tag, which was channelled into the construction of an additional block of 16 apartment units, bringing the total to 208 apartment units and was the facility improvements.
Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo expressed gratitude to the previous government for starting the project; the present government for sustaining it; the board, particularly, its Chairman for leading the negotiations which resulted in achieving greater value for money; the workers of COCOBOD for their dedication and many years of service; and most importantly, to the hardworking farmers, who he called, the foundation of the cocoa industry.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of COCOBOD, Hon. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, encourage that adoption of a good maintenance culture by the eventual occupants of the apartments and by the management of COCOBOD. He asked that management should set up a system to easily receive complaints from occupants and address their maintenance challenges promptly.
Hon. Owusu-Agyeman also asked management to ensure a fair and transparent system for the allocating the apartments to workers. “I am appealing to the chief executive to start the sharing process but let it be fair and transparent, so, that those who are entitled to it will get it.”
At the event were a number of dignitaries and invited guests, including, members of the Board of Directors of COCOBOD; members of the management and staff; representatives of the workers union of COCOBOD; the member of parliament for Tema West Constituency, Hon. Kingsley Carlos Ahenkorah; the project contractor and many others.
