Ghana@50 Probe: Why Busia's statue?

Accra, Aug 4, GNA - Mr. Francis Opoku Boateng, former Brong-Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Director on Tuesday told the three-member Presidential Enquiry Commission on Ghana @ 50 celebrations that the erection of the statue of Dr. K.A. Busia in Sunyani as part of the event was influenced by the political leadership at the time. He said the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) used proceeds from the anniversary souvenirs to defray the cost of the monument which was not initially budgeted for.

Mr. Boateng disclosed this when he was asked to explain why the region constructed the monument which was not originally part of the budget the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat presented to the RCC. He said the region received GH¢760, 000.00 out of which GH¢400, 000.00 was to be used for the construction of a Jubilee park and the renovation of some projects towards the celebration. The former Co-ordinating Director said the region was also given a total of GH¢ 510,000.00 out of which each of the 19 Municipal and the District assemblies were given GH¢10, 000.00 leaving GH¢20, 000.00 for the RCC.

He admitted that the district assemblies owed Ghana @ 50 Secretariat since they have not finished paying for the anniversary cloths allocated to them.

Mr. Boateng said the RCC used part of the Ghana @ 50 money to run the office as a result of pressure on the limited resources. Mr. Robert Wise Awenyawu, an Engineer at the Public Works Department (PWD) Prestige, said his outfit received GH¢ 232, 649.72 for the construction and renovation of projects around the Cenotaph and the Independence square. He said the PWD had to sub-let all the projects in order to meet the deadline provided by the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat. Mr Awenyawu was asked why his outfit which was given the projects based on competence had to sub-let them to other contractors. Mr. Egbert Faibille, Counsel for Mr. Kwadwo Mpianim, former Chief of Staff in a cross-examination disagreed with the PWD for demanding payments for labour when it was a subvented organisation. He also questioned why PWD had to bid for the projects if it had no capacity to execute them. Aug 4, 09