Ghana's Embassy Residence in US for sale

Embassy row, Washington D.C. NPP fuo aba bebo yen man, ye anhwe yie wobeton Ghana. Yes we are damn right.

This government wants to sell everything including the birth-rights of this country. They want to auction off the legacy of this country to the highest bidder. But in some instances it is not the highest bidder who gets it all. Some shady characters also benefit. Currently on the Embassy Row in Washington D.C. where Ghana has its Ambassador’s Residence. The NPP government is selling off the Ambassador’s Residence, the three storey building which has developed antique status and is the envy Of many land-lords has been put under contract sale

Just look at the picture it is numbered 2929 Benton Place. It is just a stone’s throw away from the Residence and the offices of the U.S.A. Vice President Dick Cheney. The place is as safe as heaven, crawling with Secret Service men, sharp shooters and many other security gadgets. Walk two blocks away on the right up and pass the Residence of Vice President Cheney and you came across the plush residence of Mr. Vernon Jordan, ex-President Clinton’s confidant and golf partner.

It is a high prime area that many people will wish to stay because when you have your building there, you may not wish to hire expensive security firm to give you comfort and safety both day and night. This is the place exclusively partitioned for Diplomatic Residence and office No 29 even has an elevator inside so that the Ambassador and his guests do not have to pant to catch their breath when they want to reach the next floor.

This is the residence of previous Ghana’s Ambassadors from the First Republic untill recently. The tall list includes M.A. Riberio, H.R. Amonoo, E.M. Debrah, Eric Otoo, Joe Abbey, Ekow Spio Gabrah and Mr. Koomson. It was the place that the various Ambassadors used to host functions for former Heads of States, dignitaries, and Senior officials of the United States government as well as Chief Executives of some multi-national companies. But the shocking news is that the NPP administration has decided to put it on auction sale.

There is a message on the signboard that reads:

UNDER CONTRACT, EKUBAN AND ASSOCIATES: WE HAVE OTHER OFFERS.

Enquirers reveal that Ekuban has his offices in the Washington D.C. area and is a well known Real Estate Agency in that part of the U.S. We further gathered that the lame excuse given for this outrageous and unbelievable government’s desire to sell off this residence that has housed Ambassador… is that the building is sinking.

What a funny and childish reason. Ghanaians in the US who have just heard of this impending sale are arguably concerned because if the place is really sinking it will affect the residence of the second most powerful man in the US, Dick Cheney and other buildings in the area. And who will want to re-locate in a sinking area? It is a big lie. It is an alibi and ruse to dispose off the property.

Further enquiries confirmed that the government wishes to re-locate in the Potomac Area which is about the most expensive place in Washington housing billionaires and multi-millionaires. For Ghana’s HIPC status, this project of SELL OFF of the three storey – Ambassador’s Residence and move to the Den of the Richest in America belies the curse of the poverty and indebtedness that has been crowned on this country.

At this time round it is not a matter of “cutting your coat according to your size” but it is a matter of indulging in expensive taste to fool your neighbours that you are rich when we ourselves have crowned ourselves inordinately with thorns of poverty, hardships and a beggar nation.

This sale must be stopped it will make us a laughing stock among the people whom we travel around to with cups in hand and begging for loans like the dubious IFC one. This abominable sale must stop.