Former President John Agyekum Kufuor is not amused about reports that government has held talks with his office in a bid to secure a building for his use, as part of his resettlement package.
“The office of Former President Kufuor wishes to state categorically that the government has not allocated any building for his use either as residence or office.
“Furthermore, nobody from the former President’s office has been shown a facility under rehabilitation for his use by the government. Neither has anybody in his office reached an agreement with anybody in government on the rehabilitation of a facility for his use,” noted a stated issued in Accra yesterday and signed by Frank Agyekum, spokesperson for the former president.
Mr Kufuor’s reaction was prompted by a statement by a deputy Minister of Information, James Agyenim Boateng that a state facility has been allocated to him as part of his resettlement package, in line with the constitution.
The Kufuor resettlement issue is coming into the public domain as a result of the recent fire incident that gutted the residence of former President Jerry John Rawlings, leading to the composition of a search party to look for an alternative accommodation for the Rawlingses, which prompted curious minds to raise the issue of accommodation for Kufuor.
The Daily Guide learnt that two apartments have been prepared for the use of the Former President Rawlings at the nearby African Union (AU) Village at Ridge.
Curtains for the two apartments were sent for laundry at the cost of ¢54million at a location in Madina. The cost of the laundry is raising eyebrows at the PWD Prestige, which is bearing the cost, under the instruction of a certain Captain Fordjour of the Office of the President at the Castle, Osu.
It is not clear if the former president will accept the AU village apartments, even though the search party is spreading its tentacles, in the event of Mr Rawlings rejecting the new apartments.
Agyenim-Boateng, explained that Mr Kufuor’s office would be located at the Airport residential area but said he could not disclose the exact location for security reasons.
However, this paper has learnt that the building for Mr Kufuor’s occupation is located at No. 1, Patrice Lumumba Road, Airport Residential area in Accra.
The rehabilitation works on the building have been completed by the contractor, a certain woman. The contract was awarded by PWD Prestige.
According to sources at PWD Prestige, a state facility was located at the Airport Residential Area and they were only asked to prepare the place for the occupation of Mr Kufuor.
They were therefore working strictly in accordance with the instructions. The sources could not speak on whether former President Kufuor had been briefed on the new accommodation facility. However, this spokesperson, Frank Agyekum, noted that what the Mills Administration is doing is tantamount to shaving Mr Kufuor in his absence.
“It is therefore wrong and untrue for anybody to go about stating that such agreements or arrangements have been reached between the government and former President Kufuor’s office.
“It is to be noted that contrary to the provisions of the constitution, the government has still not provided former President Kufuor with his resettlement package and he still lives in and operates from his private residence”, the statement emphasised.
The deputy Information Minister had told an Accra based radio station that government had been in touch with the former President.
He said some time last year, the office of the former President was officially notified of plans by government to provide an office for the former first gentleman.
According to Mr. Agyenim Boateng, “officials of the former present and officials of the current administration sat down and agreed that it would be at the Airport residential area and when the renovations are over, we would hand it over for the purposes for which he intends to use it”.
Mr Agyenim Boateng said: “I cannot explain why Frank Agyekum is not aware of this. Besides if there is a communication problem, then that certainly is not from our side”.
He noted that, “the agreement followed not too long after the National Security had taken over the building at ridge which the former present was using as his office”.
But now, the former president come out to state his position, denying any arrangements with government on purported office accommodation.
Source: Daily Guide/Ghana
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