Opinions of Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Columnist: Amadu Hadi

Abandoned projects: Every government is guilty

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The outbreak of the coronavirus and its resultant effect on our public health facilities has ignited the ‘Abandoned Projects War’ between players and some concerned citizens.

Obviously, many infrastructural projects across all sectors of the economy (ie. health, education, transportation, trade, etc have been left uncompleted by successive governments for reasons best known to them.

In fact, every democratically elected government in this fourth republic of Ghana cannot deny the fact that certain developmental projects were abandoned during their tenure of office.

Historically, the issue of projects abandonment could be traced as far back since the era of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah(CPP) through to president jerry john Rawlings(NDC) to president J.A. Kufour(NPP) to late president J.E. mills(NDC) of blessed memory, to John Mahama (NDC) and now president Akuffo Addo(NPP). All these government has had projects left uncompleted.

A 63-year-old Ghana who is blessed with abundant natural resources and desperate to catch-up with the developed world still has life-sustaining projects left uncompleted. It is becoming more normal for politicians to do equalization with the issue of national interest but who suffers the most is the poor taxpayer who could have benefited from such projects.

As citizens continue to marvel, lament, and question the rationale behind the syndrome of abandonment, politicians are also busy giving ‘Dead reasons’ as to why certain projects had to delay. As others will give reasons such as; procurement infractions, inflation of contract sum, investigations into the contracts, others will be talking about lack of funding.

But the question is how long will it take for all these issues to be resolved to pave way for completion of these projects? Indeed no government owns any project in this country. ALL PROJECTS ARE FOR ALL GHANAIANS in respective of their political affiliation so politicians MUST STOP fighting over ownership of projects and make them available for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

Convincingly, our leaders have totally failed to think about the future and long term benefits of certain developmental projects but rather, they are quick to embark on short term relief projects and policies that will win them the next election.

A driver who always think of the far-flung journey ahead of him, instead of the lives of the passengers on board is always a friend to an accident.

It is time for our leaders to do what is right and not what pleases voters. By this, our beloved country will earn a developed status in no time.