The Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, has issued a strong warning to the contractor handling the Kintampo North 24-Hour Economy Market project, vowing to terminate the contract over what he describes as shockingly poor performance.

During a visit to the project site, the Minister was visibly upset at the lack of progress, with little evidence of materials on the ground and no significant work done.

"So do you want me to be happy with this poor performance?" the Minister asked, setting the tone for a tense inspection.

When the Minister demanded to know the percentage of work completed, the consultant's response only deepened his frustration — less than one percent of the project has been executed.

The Minister described it as the poorest performance among all contractors working on 24-Hour Economy Market projects across the Bono East Region.

"This is the most poorest performance among all the contractors in the region working on the 24-hour economy market," he said.

Mr Antwi instructed the consultant to serve the contractor with a formal warning letter, with a copy forwarded to the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).

He warned that the contract will be terminated if the contractor does not take the project seriously.

"The contractor is performing abysmally and will not be pardoned for that. He is not serious. The performance of the contractor is an indictment and that will not be tolerated," the Minister said.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Kintampo North, Isaac Donkor, also expressed deep disappointment at the snail-paced work.

Speaking to Joy News at the site, he said he had visited the project on several occasions, but the lack of progress remains worrying.

"I feel so sad at the pace of work. I have been on the site several times but the snail's pace of work is worrying," he said.

The MCE added that residents who stand to benefit from the project have been left disappointed and are constantly asking questions.

"The population who are going to benefit from the project are very disappointed and keep asking questions," he noted.

The 24-Hour Economy Market project forms part of the government's broader agenda to boost trade, create jobs and stimulate economic activity beyond traditional working hours.

For the people of Kintampo North, the market is expected to transform local commerce and open up new opportunities for traders and small businesses.

But with less than one percent of work completed, that promise now hangs in the balance.

All eyes will be on the contractor in the coming days to see whether the warning letter jolts the project back to life — or whether the Regional Minister makes good on his threat to terminate the contract.

MyJoyOnline will continue to monitor the situation and bring you updates as they unfold.