Teachers and students at Zangbalun RC Junior High School in the Kumbungu district of the Northern Region were left stranded on Monday morning when the Zangbalun polling station chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Issahaku Osman, locked the school over unpaid renovation contract fees owed by the government.
Osman, who completed renovation work on the school building in 2021 after it was damaged by a rainstorm, is reportedly owed ¢69,400 by the local Assembly for his services. Despite the work being finished three years ago, the payment has not been made.
The renovation was initially commissioned by the District Chief Executive, following an inspection of the storm damage. Osman agreed to fund the renovation himself, with the understanding that the Assembly would reimburse him once funds were available from the common fund.
Osman said he used his business funds to begin the project, but when costs ran over, he took out a loan from Bonzali Rural Bank to complete the work, which included installing windows and painting.
Once the renovation was completed, the Assembly officially commissioned the building for use, but Osman claims no payment was made. “After finishing the work, the Assembly came to commission the building, but they did not pay me,” Osman told JoyNews.
He also revealed that his business collapsed as a result of investing all his resources into the project.
As of now, Osman has locked the school to pressure the Assembly to settle the debt. When JoyNews approached the school’s headteacher for comment, they declined to speak on the matter.
