Why give 12 major state contracts to only Adjaye? – Local architects petition Akufo-Addo

Members of the Design Associates Development Consortium have petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the award of key state-funded architectural contracts to Adjaye and Associates, a firm owned by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye.

According to the Consortium, some state agencies flouted the public procurement regulations in awarding the contracts to Sir Adjaye whose firm is not registered by the Architects Registration Council, thus, alien to the Ghana Institute of Architects.

In the petition signed by Arc. Dr Ekow Sam, Consortium Coordinator, the group appealed to Nana Akufo-Addo to ensure that all contracts and projects are awarded and executed through transparent, fair, genuine and competitive means so as to ensure that local architects and engineers are not left out.

It wondered why 12 different state-funded projects have been awarded to only Mr Adjaye’s firm.

The Consortium lists those projects as the National Cathedral, New Parliamentary Chamber, Marine Drive Master Planning, International Cancer Centre for Children, Trade Fair Centre Redesigning, GNPC Accra Head Office, GNPC Takoradi Office Complex, New Office Complex for the Bank of Ghana (Cedi House 2), Airport City 2 Design, Okyehene Palace Design, New Railway Terminal Design, and Redevelopment and Expansion of Ghana Embassy in the US.

The group told the President in the petition that: “In your wisdom, you created several ministries so that matters that had plagued the nation will be tackled by sector-specific ministries. Thus, it is most bizarre that for projects of such magnitude, one person or firm, will be handpicked contrary to all notions of fairness to carry out the projects when it is clear that any one firm would be overburdened by projects of such magnitude. It is even more startling when one considers the fact that Adjaye and Associates is currently recruiting architects at the international level, when within the country, there are locally-trained, qualified, certified and registered architectural firms who can deliver the services sought”.

It added: “His Excellency Mr President, due to the monopolisation of awarding projects to foreign architects and engineers, the negative impression and image created in the public that locally-trained architects and engineers are incompetent and not qualified to undertake such projects in the country, which is totally untrue”.

Below is the full petition: