Instead of explaining issues surrounding his decision to privatize four of Ghana’s airports, Collins Dauda, Minister of Transportation has resorted to blatant insults.
In an interview on Happy FM, he referred to the Editor and editorial staff of The Insight as ‘stupid’ and ‘foolish’.
The truth however is that on January 26, 2012, the Minister confirmed the privatization of not just the airports but also the Takoradi and Tema ports in a letter signed for him by E.N.Y. Tackie Yarboi.
The privatization of the ports is being done under the so-called Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
The Minister’s letter is published unedited;
THE HON. MINISTER
MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC PLANNING
MINISTRIES-ACCRA
Attn: Magdalene Apenteng (Mrs), Director, Public Investment Division
GHANA: SUPPORT TO PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS
We wish to confirm the Ministry’s commitment to the Government’s policy of encouraging the use of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for leveraging public resources with private sector resources to undertake infrastructure development and delivery in the country.
In this regard, the Ministry endorses the plan that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP) has adopted to develop first movement projects through PPP procurement for the following infrastructural development in the country:
- Takoradi Port Rehabilitation and Expansion;
- Tema Port Expansion;
- Rehabilitation, Expansion and Upgrade of Airport Project (Kotoka International Airport Project, Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi Airports)
We also wish to inform you that steps have been taken by the Ministry to establish a Project Management Unit and its implementing agencies to set up PPP cells to liaise with the Public Investment Division of the MOFEP for effective implementation of various PPP projects in the Transport Sector.
We count on your cooperation.
Thank you.
E.N.Y. TACKIE-YARBOI
CHIEF DIRECTOR
for: MINISTER
cc: The General Director, GPHA-Tema
The Managing Director, GACL-Airports
