Kufuor paid for work on his house

The New Patriotic Party's mouthpiece, the NPP News carries that His Excellency, President J.A. Kufuor personally undertook and paid for renovation works done at his private residence at the Airport Residential Area, Accra.

Hon. Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing reportedly, made this known in parliament last Tuesday in answer to a question over who was responsible for the recent renovation works carried out at the President's residence.

He, however, explained that funds from the security vote were used for the external security lights, maingate, the leveling of a car park and the installation of barbed wire on the walls of the building to provide additional security for His Excellency the President.

Since the President was still using his private residence because the state could not provide any decent accommodation for him and his family on assumption of office on January 7, this year, the Hon. Minister contended that it was proper and justified to use funds from the security votes for the external works because of security reasons.

Moreover, the president undertook the works within the building and paid for it himself, he stressed.

When the Hon. Minister was asked to provide the names of the contractors, he explained that it would not be appropriate to disclose them to the public because of security reasons. He, however, said he would make the names and copies of the expenditure available to members of parliament.

The Public Works Department (PWD) supervised the work at the President's residence whiles Messes Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) are supervising consultants for the castle renovations, he disclosed.