A whopping $13.9 million dollars is to used to construct a new mansion to house Ghana’s Vice Presidents, Peacefmonline.com can confirm.
Peacefmonline can also confirm that construction of the new residence being built at the Switch back road in Accra, has currently stalled though contract was awarded and started under the erstwhile John Mahama-led administration.
Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, who made the startling disclosure during a speech at the Launch of the ‘Good Corporate Governance Initiative’ at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra, Tuesday, indicated that he strongly believes the bidding process for the construction of the house did not "go through competitive tender."
Lamenting on how the state in recent times abused the Procurement Act by "the resort to sole-sourcing of contracts" needlessly, Dr Bawumia stressed the need to safeguard the taxpayer's purse by strictly enforcing the Public Procurement Act, Act 663.
"Very importantly, we want to ensure the strict enforcement of the Public Procurement Act, Act 663; it is an Act that in my opinion and in the opinion of many, has really been abused recently, the resort to sole-sourcing of contracts has been more the rule rather than the exception.
"The way the Act was designed, sole-sourcing was not supposed to be as rampant as we are seeing it today and I think that we will have to enforce this Public Procurement Act.
“There was this whole brouhaha about this Vice President’s residence, I am sure you heard about it, so in the context of discussing this issue, there is supposed be a vice president’s residence under construction…so I asked the question why this project has not been finished, why has it delayed and they said ‘well the contractor is owed a lot of money’ and I said how much is this money and am told well it is a lot of money.
“So [I asked] how much is this house actually costing and I was shocked when I was told, can you believe in Ghana we are building a house to house our Vice President and this house is supposed to cost 13.9 million dollars.
“I mean what sort of house is it supposed to be, is the gate made of gold, pavement made of gold, blocks of gold, a house in Ghana for 13.9 million dollars…I couldn’t believe it…and I am hundred percent sure it didn’t go through competitive tender…and there it stands uncompleted,” Dr. Bawumia said.
Bawumia Stranded?
Earlier this year, when John Dramani Mahama’s successor, President Nana Akufo-Addo, took over the administration of the country, news went viral that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was stranded, since his residence was still being occupied by the former president.
But Mr. Mahama in a statement, rejected the report, describing it as “mischievous.”
Per the statement, Dr Bawumia (the Vice President) was expected to take up residence in the House known as Australia House, which was previously occupied by former Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur.
“An Official and Permanent residence for the Vice President is currently under construction, off the Switchback road. Dr. Bawumia will move into the new structure when completed,” the statement read.
Transparency?...Push Parliament To Amend Certain Laws Within 100 days
Addresing parcipants at the event, Dr Bawumia pointed out that the NPP and therefore President Nana Akufo-Addo's vision to build "a new Ghana Ghana in which hard work pays and cutting corners does not," will likely fail to materialize "unless we promote good governance, accountability and transparency."
"Leadership plays an important role in good governance," he acknowledged.
Consequently, he said, the present administration, seeking to enhance transparency, will impress on parliament the need to amend certain laws and pass the Right To Information Bill swiftly.
"We are going to have to push parliament to make the necessary amendments and if I had my way, it should be passed within these first 100 days of this government...It brings transparency in our governance," the Vice-President stated.
Source: Nana Kwadwo Asante/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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If 1 million dollars=40billion then 13.9 million dollars= my head dey pain me sef....eeei korono Paa ni I wonder didn't all of these contracts go through parliament for approval?
Fuck you all, ***barred word*** ***barred word***. Wasting the country's money.
The laws must work in Ghana, Mahama should it stay in the vice prez house. What us all this Ama Ghana and grandmother Africs? What of if Obama had said he wanted the White House as his end of service benefit? Mahama was even a one time president and he is asking for space. This is why they saw all Ghanaians as ***barred word*** and ***barred word***. Prez Nana what are you doing about this? Has the Otumfour influenced you in favor of Mahama. I think Bawumia does nor care staying in his father's house at Kanda. What he cares for is to have a new and transparent Ghana where the laws and institutions work. Leadership is to serve and not to live like Kings or Lords, even the son of God had no where to lay his head. Ghanaians should learn to be modest and simple.
so what are you going to do about it ?or you will let it go. don't just talk do something about it.
Masa keep quiet and go enjoy. You would have done worst
A $13.9 million official residence for VP?. Thank God that Dr. Bawumia's inquisitiveness about the cost of the residence got him the information he made public. One thing Nana ought to do, I think, is to set up an Independent 'Ad Hoc' investigator to review all contracts both foreign and domestic, that Mahama's administration entered into on behalf of Ghana. I am sure the construction of the VP residence is just the tip of the iceberg. I believe, there may be many beyond the pale of reasoning contracts that may be unreasonably very costly buried some where in archives yet to see the light. contracts are yet to surface.
I ve read through the comments and realized that the stealing nature of the government has been injected into the blood veins of that party supporters so they don't think about the country but their only their ***barred word*** pockets only. So you consider someone who is telling us about the ***barred word*** of the disease called NDC as not being serious and a talkative. This is why ghana has sunk to this state. Release the foolishness and come back to reality. You are the same people they are saving. Aaaaba mo gyimie no adooso dodo.
CREATE LOOT AND SHARE, FAMILY NDC NOCTURNAL DIABOLIC CREATURES
Eiii Ama ghana what is happening to you. A manse to house the vice president of Ghana is costing so much ($13.9m). How much did the new house for former president Obama even cost. God should have mercy on us. No wonder they (NDC)haven't recover from the election defeat. Is because they are afraid for being exposed.
VP enough of politics. Those days are over. Where MPs for NPP sleeping in parliament or were there busy collecting their monthly salaries? To all those disturbing the public peace on news files shame on them. Constantly discussing less relevant stuff.