General News of Wednesday, 14 November 2018

Source: starrfmonline.com

2000 projects: Stop criticising and clap for me – Hawa Koomson

Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister for Special Initiative and Development Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister for Special Initiative and Development

The Special Initiative and Development Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has urged critics to stop making noise and laud her for the over 2000 projects ongoing across the country.

Hawa Koomson told the media at a press conference Tuesday that over 2000 projects are ongoing across the country with each of them about 80% complete.

She noted that the projects may have delayed because of the herculean procurement processes that they had to go through.

But some civil society organisations and MPs have dismissed the minister’s claims stating that the supposed projects are non-existent.

According to the Project coordinator for the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) Bernard Anaba, the said projects are yet to materialize in the various districts and constituencies.

“Apart from party structures in the constituencies, we do not really have other structures. We are not seeing anything at all. Things are not looking good at all in terms of the implementation. Government is talking about 3000 projects but I have not seen anything at all. I have not heard of any project in my constituency at all.”

But in an interview with Starr Midday News, Hawa Koomson said the projects are real and are spread across parts of the country.

She added that she is willing to drive anyone who doubts the existence of the projects to the various sites for them to witness ongoing projects. She mentioned Adenta, Kasoa New Market, Winneba as some of the areas close to Accra where projects are at various stages of completion.

“Ok now go to Adentan Municipality and ask the MCE or DCE, he or she will take you to the project. I wouldn’t tell you to ask the MP. Now also just walk to Kasoa…go to the new market, you will see a warehouse being constructed, and then in Kasoa go to abujukope and other areas, or you go to my MCE he will take you to the areas. Just last Monday I even went to cut sod for a community durbar ground of Ofankor, so you can go there and find out from them. Go to Cape Coast central, you will see a warehouse there, go to Winneba you will see a warehouse there you will see some of the toilet projects there, you will see some of the water projects.”

The Special Initiatives and development Minister added “as I mentioned we are coming out with a tracking system, so when you sit in your office in your studio and click the name of the constituency it will come up. When you go to Ablekuma Central, go to town council line, agbogbloshie onion and then Russia, go there right now, you will see these toilet projects there and you will see the water projects, so what is he talking about?

“If I’ve not done it I wouldn’t deceive Ghanaians, you see that is why we have not come out with any book. You say you have a blue book or red book or white book, now these are physical projects, if he wants to go to the areas and he thinks he cannot go. He should just come I will put him in my car and take him to those projects, as simple as that.

“They should thank me, they should clap for me, just a year, a ministry that has not been in existence. I came to put up this structures with the ministry and the development authority, and yet we’ve been able to do over 2 000 projects, they should stop that noise. This is not time for campaign, hey should wait when its 2020 and we go to the grounds and we don’t see those projects then they can tell the voters what we have done or have not done.”