The Board Chairman of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) and Member of Parliament for Ho-West, Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, has disclosed that some loans taken in the past did not translate into visible development projects.

He explained that the situation mostly affected parts of the Volta Region and limited GETFund’s ability to release funds for new initiatives.

Mr Bedzrah made the remarks at a sod-cutting ceremony for four new projects at the Afife Senior High Technical School (SHTS) in the Ketu-North Municipality on Monday.

The projects include a two-storey girls’ hostel, a two-storey boys’ hostel, an administration block, a library, and wash facilities. They will be jointly funded by GETFund and the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and are expected to be completed within 12 months.

Mr Bedzrah stated that all stalled GETFund projects that were about 75 per cent complete were currently under review, adding that contractors would be directed to return to site by the end of February to complete the works.

He noted that contractors executing the projects were expected to finish within one year. However, if the works were completed within eight months, the facilities would be inaugurated and handed over to beneficiary institutions in October 2026.

The Board Chairman assured contractors of regular and timely payments upon submission of certified work, stressing the importance of quality workmanship to ensure value for money.

He also urged students to take their studies seriously and become responsible adults, noting that the government was investing 34 per cent of national education expenditure into technical and vocational education to secure a better future for the youth.

The Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, said the resumption of GETFund and DACF disbursements had restored the funds to their intended purpose, leading to renewed infrastructure development across the region.

He described the District Assembly Common Fund and GETFund as the “twin pillars” of education and local governance development, and urged residents to support government projects and maintain peace to ensure sustained progress.

The Member of Parliament for Ketu-North, Mr Eric Edem Agbana, noted that the constituency had four second-cycle institutions—Weta Senior High Technical School, Tadzewu Senior High School, Dzodze-Penyi Senior High School and Afife SHTS—all of which faced serious infrastructure deficits.