Students of Zangbalung DA JHS stranded as contractor locks up school over debt

Over hundred pupils of the Zangbalun DA Junior High School (JHS) of the Kumbungu District in the Northern Region were stranded on Monday as the contractor who renovated the school two years ago locked up the school block after management of the Kumbungu District Assembly failed to pay him.

Confirming his actions on Diamond Power Drive on Monday November 11, 2024, the contractor ISSAHAKU OSAMA, said he locked up the school on Sunday November 10/11/2024 due to an unresolved payment issue he had with the Kumbungu District Assembly.

“The Assembly has failed to pay me my money since 2022 and so I decided to lock up the school until the money is paid”.

According to him, the school building was severely damaged by a rainstorm, and was awarded to him by the Kumbungu District Assembly for renovation.

He said after completing the project and officially handing over the facility to the District Assembly, he is yet to receive his payment from the assembly.

He laments that efforts to reach the Assembly to pay monies owed him have yielded no result, indicating that he is currently battling with Bonzali Rural Bank for failing to pay back monies he borrowed to embark on the project.

He insisted that he will keep the school locked until his money is paid.

“During the NDC administration, a similar rehabilitation project of the school was awarded to an NDC Youth Organizer, who received timely payment from his DCE, I wonder why my own DCE is not extending such courtesy to me”.

The action by Issahaku Osman who is also Zagbalun Zonal NPP Youth Chairman, has caused a lot of destruction to the teaching and learning in the school.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the Kumbungu District Chief Executive Honorable, Hamza Abdul Fatawu, to comment on the issue proved futile.

In a related development, the contractor who locked up the Zangbalun DA Junior High School (JHS) has finally unlocked the school for pupils and teachers of the community.

His decision followed after the intervention of the Chief of Zangbalun Naa Dr Jacob Mahama, after he pledged to address the situation.

Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.