<<Print>>

One of the issues that have taken centre stage in the country�s political arena is the refurbishment of Parliament�s new chamber. What caught the attention of political pundits is the fact that despite President John Dramani Mahama�s call to patronize Made-In Ghana goods, Parliament contracted a company in China to manufacture 300 pieces of chairs and tables. Speaking in an interview on Citi FM, Deputy Majority leader in Parliament, Alfred Agbesi said Parliament had just two months to occupy the new chamber and that was why they contracted the Chinese company to supply the furniture. Already, some of the furniture has started breaking down and many are wondering the cost involved in the refurbishment of the new chamber. Another part of the controversy which is not known to the public is the name of the Chinese company that manufactured the 300 furniture. Contributing to a panel discussion on Friday�s edition of �Kokrokoo�, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr disclosed that the 300 chairs and tables were manufactured by the China State Construction company. �China State Contractors had to work extra-hard to beat the stipulated two months deadline�they had two months to manufacture and to bring them in and fix them. They fixed them in a rush�infact the chairs were not brought in by ship but they were flown in (to the country) because of the emergency; extra cost� that led to some of the chairs breaking down,� he noted. Kwesi Pratt however condemned the assertion that everything from China was not good. According to him there are lots of edifices in the country that were constructed by the Chinese.