The host of the “Good Morning Ghana” show on Metro TV has expressed strong criticism against the Bank of Ghana’s (BoG) decision to construct a new head office. The proposed facility, which the Parliamentary Minority estimates to cost US$250 million, has sparked significant public reactions following the BoG’s confirmation of the project.
In response to a statement by the minority, the BoG explained that the new office complex was primarily justified by security concerns and the unsuitability of the current location in the event of an earthquake.
Randy Abbey, the show’s host, voiced his concerns about the decision to build a new office, particularly focusing on the timing and the project’s cost. During a discussion with Fuseini Issah, a former New Patriotic Party (NPP) lawmaker, and John Jinapor, a Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu, Abbey criticized the allocation of a quarter of a billion dollars to construct an office.
He noted, “I don’t have a problem with a new office… I have not heard anybody raise the issue of location, in fact, just a 100m from where they are building, is where you have the Ecobank building.” Abbey compared the BoG’s project cost of US$250 million with the US$60 million price tag for the Ecobank building, which was situated nearby.
Abbey questioned the rationale behind investing such a substantial amount, considering the country’s economic situation over the past few years. He also made a reference to the controversial national Cathedral project, suggesting a similarity in mindset between the two endeavors.
In response, the former lawmaker argued that the BoG had stated that the Central Business District’s activities had shifted to the high street, and the bank had been acquiring space in the area until 2020, when it secured the current site through an executive instrument.