Spio slams Parliament over “China furniture”

Minister of Trade and Industry Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah says he warned Parliament against their decision to import furniture during the latter stages of the refurbishment process but they simply ignored his advice.

“I said even at [my] vetting that they could have given it to the consortium of furniture makers to supply it in various ways.”

Speaking to journalists in Accra on Wednesday, November 5, Dr Spio-Garbrah said a Parliament of Ghana with furniture from a foreign nation does not speak well of the country.

“It may be simply due to the fact that most of us in our private lives...do not think about consciously choosing made-in-Ghana goods when we are undertaking any procurement,” he said.

Parliament returned from recess on Tuesday to a newly refurbished chamber, which has its chairs imported from China.

Computer consoles have also been fixed for each of the 275 Members while the dispatch boxes for ministers who appear before the House have been cut to size.

The imported products have attracted criticism from a section of the public who think Ghanaian firms could have provided some of them.

Dr Spio-Garbrah criticised the legislators’ choice, saying: “[they] are not just to pass laws but they must set examples.”

He said he expects explanation from them over the choice.