The Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, has moved swiftly to address delays in the construction of the government's flagship 24-Hour Economy Market projects, convening a high-stakes review meeting at the Regional Coordinating Council just two weeks after completing a region-wide inspection tour.

The meeting, held on Tuesday, brought together all contractors, consultants, engineers, and Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) from the 11 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies across the region.

During his recent tour of the region, the Minister inspected ongoing works at each project site. While he expressed satisfaction with the progress of work in some districts, he was visibly disappointed by the performance of some contractors in other areas.

The tour, according to the Minister, provided crucial insight into the actual state of the projects on the ground, paving the way for today's accountability meeting.

Speaking at the review meeting, Mr. Owusu Antwi explained that the gathering was designed to achieve multiple objectives.

"The meeting seeks to, among other things, assess the progress of work across all 11 Assemblies and identify ways to address delays and improve the performance of contractors who are lagging behind," he stated.

He added that the tour had been instrumental in shaping the discussions.

"The tour has helped a lot, and this meeting will also help ensure that this important project is completed on time."

In an unusual move aimed at promoting transparency and accountability, all contractors at the meeting were required to display their work progress and outline the challenges they are facing.

The approach appears to have struck a chord with local leaders.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Kintampo North, Isaac Donkor, who doubles as the dean of MMDCEs, described the meeting as timely and highly beneficial.

"This meeting, which had all contractors display their works and their challenges, was timely and very helpful," he said.

He noted that the open display of progress would foster healthy competition among contractors.

"This will create a sort of competition between the contractors who are not doing well to up their game," Mr. Donkor added.

The Regional Minister used the occasion to underscore the broader economic importance of the 24-Hour Economy Market projects.

He emphasised that the markets would play a critical role in job creation across the region, while also providing a significant boost to revenue mobilisation efforts of the local assemblies.

The government's 24-Hour Economy initiative is a key policy aimed at stimulating economic activity beyond traditional working hours, creating employment opportunities and enhancing local economic development.

With contractors now under pressure to accelerate their work, the Regional Coordinating Council is expected to maintain close monitoring of all project sites.

The Minister's decisive action signals the government's commitment to ensuring that the flagship projects are delivered on schedule, and that contractors who fail to perform will be held accountable.

Residents across the Bono East Region will be watching closely, hopeful that the markets will soon become a reality that transforms their local economies.