Pupils of the Old Tafo Roman Catholic Basic School in Kumasi were driven out of their classrooms on Monday, November 25, 2024, by the contractor who put up the building.
Thomas Akwasi Frimpong, a building contractor from Atofis Company Limited who drove the pupils out said the classrooms needed to be locked because the government was owing the company.
According to him, he pre-financed the two-storey building construction in 2008 with GHC230,000, an amount he said he had to sell all his properties to defray the banks he took the loans from.
Pupils of the Old Tafo Roman Catholic Basic School in Kumasi were driven out of their classrooms on Monday, November 25, 2024, by the contractor who put up the building.
Thomas Akwasi Frimpong, a building contractor from Atofis Company Limited who drove the pupils out said the classrooms needed to be locked because the government was owing the company.
According to him, he pre-financed the two-storey building construction in 2008 with GHC230,000, an amount he said he had to sell all his properties to defray the banks he took the loans from.
He says successive governments have failed to pay him the money, necessitating his Monday morning action at the school.
Mr. Frimpong told the media after kicking the pupils out that he will only allow them entrance after the government pays him his money.
“Since 2010 that the student moved into the building till date the government hasn’t paid me and I am not going to allow the students to use it,” he said. “It’s over 14 years now; if government rented wouldn’t he have paid? They should pay me, if not the students won’t be allowed to study in the building,” he disclosed.
The contractor added that he intended locking the facility in 2021 but for the intervention of some authorities, adding that his action is not influenced by the upcoming elections since he is full member of the NPP but needs his money.
“I was waiting for the government to settle me but nothing has been done,” he complained. “I am not doing this because it’s an election year. I’m a member of the NPP but now I need my money, enough is enough,” he added.
Content by: Felix Anim-Appau
