General News of Wednesday, 8 February 2017

Source: kasapafmonline.com

Huge cost of Veep’s residence indefensible – Allotey Jacobs

NDC Central Region Chairman, Allotey Jacobs NDC Central Region Chairman, Allotey Jacobs

Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Allotey Jacobs has said it is very difficult to defend the whopping $13.9 million being cost of constructing a residence for the Vice President.

The news about the construction of a new Vice Presidential Villa was first put out into the public space by the Vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

He was shocked at the $13.9million cost of the project that was started during the Mahama led-government and wondered if the gate of the building was going to be made of gold.

Dr Bawumia was confident that if the project had gone through competitive tendering the cost of the project would have been far lower and the country having value for money.

But soon after Dr Bawumiah’s disclosure, several appointees of the NDC government including Presidential Staffer, Dr Clement Apaak insisted that the cost was $5.9 million and not $13.9 million, claiming Dr. Bawumia was at his mischievous best.



But a new document from the contractors of the project, Consar Ltd, puts the total cost of project to $13.9 million just as Dr Bawumia had earlier put out.

Speaking on Peace FM Wednesday, Allotey Jacobs stated that the fresh document from Consar on the cost of the project brings finality to the controversy surrounding the cost, adding that contesting the cost is impossible.

“With what has come from Consar Limited, it is difficult to defend this issue. They are on the job and what they have put out settles the controvesy surrounding the cost of the project. If Consar themselves have put out this information, then what do I have to say…nothing.”