MP accuses Baba Jamal of selling GCDL to private investor

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region, Mrs. Mercy Adu Gyamfi, has accused a former MP for the area, Mr. Mohammend Baba Jamal of selling the Ghana Consolidated Diamond Limited (GCDL) at Akwatia with the help of his government to a private person to deprive a large number of workers at GCDL of their livelihoods.

According to her, in the run-up to the 2016 general elections, the former MP tried to do some maintenance works on the Akwatia roads, which were in a very bad state, but left the roads to deteriorate after being defeated at the polls.

She revealed, that she had lobbied the Ministry of Roads and Highways to construct 10 kilometres of the roads in Akwatia.

Mrs. Gyamfi’s outburst comes after Mr. Jamal organised a press conference a couple of weeks ago to also accused the current MP of taking credit for development projects he (Baba Jamal) undertook in the constituency.

Mr. Jamal, who was a former deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, as well as Employment and Labour Relations, lambasted Mrs. Gyamfi, popularly known as AmaSey, for taking credit for the numerous development projects initiated by the previous Mahama administration through his efforts.

He also slammed the chiefs in the area for remaining silent for the current MP to take credit for projects he (Baba) undertook in the constituency.

But in a sharp rebuttal to the former MP, AmaSey, stated that, Baba Jamal was still hallucinating after suffering an electoral ‘battering.’

“I think Baba Jamal is still confused after his humiliating electoral defeat and does not know what he is talking about,” she said.

She also accused the former MP of deliberately organising phantom sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a major bridge linking Akwatia and Kusi in the run-up to the 2016 general elections.

“Nothing was done until the NPP assumed office for the bridge to be constructed after I lobbied the Ministry of Roads and Highways.

She said she had made arrangements for electricity to be supplied to 22 other villages in the constituency which are not connected to the national grid.

“Since I became MP in January 2017, I have given scholarships to a number of students in tertiary institutions from the constituency, assisted 100 girls to undergo apprenticeships in hairdressing and sewing and also provided final-year JHS students with mathematical sets.”

She said that her priority was to help to restore electricity supply to residents of GCD, otherwise known as Camp, after it was disconnected due to huge debt owned by the defunct GCD company.

She also promised to provide mechanised borehole to residents of Camp,” who are facing water supply challenges”.

“It is never true that Baba Jamal did something about the electricity situation at Camp, and my advice to him is that he should not create unnecessary tension in the Akwatia Constituency because he can never win the seat.”