Dr.Papa Kwesi Nduom took to his facebook to write the below—and it’s a must read. He asks so many important questions, which we know we wouldn’t get any reasonable answers to them from the incumbent government.
All the same, this is a good piece…
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The big question is, why did the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama cut sod in January 2013 for the Accra project aimed at finding an effective solution to the perennial flooding problem at the nation’s capital?
On an Accra radio station yesterday, the Minister of Finance Seth Terkper confirmed that government has not received even one pesewa of the funds needed to implement this important project.
So, once again, why did President Mahama cut sod for a project there were no funds for with great fanfare? What was the purpose of the sod cutting? Should it take deaths and loss of property for our government to inform the people about the status of such an important project? Where is the sense of urgency? Who advised the President that the ceremony should come on?
The country has been littered with several such ‘start and stop’ projects just as there are millions of international finance agency funds sitting idle waiting for additional technical work to be done or counterpart funds to be provided by our government.
According to the minister, the term-sheet covering the multi-million dollar loan facility on the project has received Parliamentary approval. However, disbursement of the funds by the US Exim Bank has not happened because final approval for the facility has not been obtained. Additional technical work needs to be done.
In 2013, the government of Ghana and the Conti Group of Companies of the United States of America signed a US$660 million agreement for the drainage and sewage project.
Known as the Accra Sanitation, Sewer and Storm-Water Drainage Alleviation Project, authorities say the development will control the perennial flooding as well as the sanitation challenges facing Ghana’s capital, Accra. The Parliament of Ghana subsequently approved the loan facilities.
And where is Parliament on this? The People’s House must demand urgent follow up action on this. Our lives and properties depend on this and other equally important project.
Leaders wanted!