MILITARY TO BID FOR CONTRACT

Story Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, Asankragwua
The military would soon be able to bid for road contracts when tenders are opened for road and other contracts.
This was to make use of the untapped expertise the military especially the Field Engineering Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to bear on the country’s quest to develop.
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe Gidisu who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at Sefwi said the military have many sides that could be tapped to the advantage of the nation.
He said his ministry was in discussion with the relevant ministry and military institutions to ensure that they were equipped to handle some aspect of the country’s emergency situations.
With roads, the minister said, the Field Engineering Regiment of the GAF had abandoned expertise that would help speed the development of the country.
“That is one thing we did not know about the military apart from the discipline, they have most of the finniest engineers, architect and other professionals that could be used to push the country’s development agenda,” he said.
Mr Gidisu said that would not mean that they would be taken off their core role of defending the nation.
He said they had in the past used their high moral and dedication to save situation and that in situation where cocoa and foodstuff were locked up, the military would have been the first point of contact.
The minister said the regiment at the moment the military needed to be equipped to handle situations.
In a sharp response, members of the general public applauded the move and said the military have a discipline and the commitment to country.
They were of the view that if the military were equipped, they would be in a position to handle not only emergencies but also bid for contract and charge a little lower than the contractors on the street.
One Kwaku Ankrah said with the military in collaborating with highways and feeder road, things would better, saying “Let us not see the military as a bunch of people prepared for war situations, but they are high professionals in the army.”