Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Ablakwa, recently took to Facebook to express concerns about the spending habits of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government during the 2020 election campaign.
Ablakwa claims to have obtained documents revealing what he describes as a “profligate and vulgar spending spree on fantasy projects.”
One notable example highlighted by Ablakwa is the construction of a 50-bed guest house in Tamale during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ablakwa alleges that the Bank of Ghana, led by Dr. Addison, prioritized this project over other pressing concerns, such as monetary policy interventions to address the economic impact of COVID-19.
According to the documents in Ablakwa’s possession, the guest house project was awarded through a single-source procurement method to De Simone Limited at a staggering cost of GHS139.9 million. Ablakwa expresses concern over what he perceives as an “appetite for single-source and restricted tendering” under Dr. Addison’s leadership, emphasizing that none of the procurements during his tenure has been competitive.
All this, according to Ablakwa, happened at a time when Ghana was facing multiple challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had claimed over 1,400 lives and infected over 90,000 people in the country.
Managing the impact of the pandemic had affected Ghana significantly, leading to the worst economic setback in decades. The government had to resort to reliefs from both domestic and external sources.
The pandemic also exposed the inadequacies of the health system, suffering from a lack of infrastructure, equipment, personnel, and funding. Many health workers complained of inadequate protective gear, low salaries, and poor working conditions.
The pandemic worsened social and educational challenges in the country, such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment. Many people lost their livelihoods, and students faced disruptions and difficulties in accessing online learning.
Ablakwa also accused the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government of hypocrisy, noting that in opposition, they condemned single-source procurements, considering them conduits for corruption. He pointed out that they have now become champions of such procurement methods.
The MP drew attention to other controversial projects, including the US$450 million National Cathedral and the US$222.7 million Bank of Ghana Head Office, both of which, according to him, initiated payments during the 2020 election campaign.
Ablakwa then cautioned Ghanaians against potential similar spending schemes ahead of the December 7 elections, urging citizens to be vigilant and prevent what he terms as “lootocratic” schemes.
