General News of Thursday, 20 June 2013

Source: Joy Online

RLG borehole offer grabbed by some MPs

Some Members of Parliament have accepted an offer by Information and Communication Telecommunications (ICT) Company, RLG to build boreholes in suitable locations in all Constituencies in Ghana.

This move is in sharp contrast to stern criticisms by other MPs and a section of the public that the offer is an attempt to hoodwink the Parliamentarians in the wake of corruption allegation against the company.

RLG wrote a letter dated June 10, 2013 to Parliament requesting to construct boreholes in each of the 275 constituencies in Ghana – free of charge. The letter was signed by the Executive Director of the company, Prosper Harrison Addo.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu in the Central Region, Alex Afenyo Markin, has said the free boreholes offer is a “strategy to compromise Members of Parliament”.

Anti graft campaigner, Vitus Azeem also wants Parliamentarians to “reject outright” the request by RLG. The Executive Director for Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) stated, the gesture “could be a potential attempt to corrupt Parliament”.

But the MPs taking the offer say accepting the offer would not cloud their judgment about the company's activities. The Parliamentarians are saying the boreholes are crucial for their constituencies.