The founder of think tank Danquah Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has said the Paramount Chief of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, Okyenhene Amoatia Ofori Panyin II, is not aware of any contract awarded to Sir David Adjaye, a Ghanaian-British architect for a new palace.

Members of the Design Associates Development Consortium recently petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the award of 12 key state-funded architectural contracts to Adjaye and Associates – among them is a contract for the redesigning of the Okyenhene’s palace.

The others include the National Cathedral, New Parliamentary Chamber, Marine Drive Master Planning, International Cancer Centre for Children, Trade Fair Centre Redesigning, GNPC Accra Head Office, GNPC Takoradi Office Complex, New Office Complex for the Bank of Ghana (Cedi House 2), Airport City 2 Design, New Railway Terminal Design, and Redevelopment and Expansion of Ghana Embassy in the US.

Responding to the claim, Mr Otchere-Darko, an Akyem with ties to the royal family, quizzed in a Facebook post: “So, which Okyenhene Palace design contract has been awarded to David Adjaye that Okyenhene himself is not aware of and no staff member or family member knows of it?”

According to the Consortium, some state agencies flouted the public procurement regulations in awarding the contracts to Sir Adjaye whose firm is not registered by the Architects Registration Council, thus, alien to the Ghana Institute of Architects.

In the petition signed by Arc. Dr Ekow Sam, Consortium Coordinator, the group appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure that all contracts and projects are awarded and executed through transparent, fair, genuine and competitive means so as to ensure that local architects and engineers are not left out.