Is Nana Addo trustworthy?

The debate on the 2016 SONA and the introduction of evidence to back work done or otherwise has taken political campaign to another level.

What is unique about the developing trend is that it offers the ordinary Ghanaian in Bagabaga, Sefwi Bodi or Anyako a better opportunity to assess what candidates say, their credibility and make informed choices.

One issue that dominated media discussions after the State of the Nation Address was about road sector projects.

When NPP Flagbearer, Nana Akufo Addo presented what he called ‘The True State of the Nation Address’, he accused President Mahama of peddling falsehood about Hohoe Township roads.

But his critics are concluding his penchant for peddling falsehood in a desperate attempt for power hit its peak this week.

In what some describe as an “illegality” by describing his address as the ‘True State of the Nation’, Nana Addo gave a tall list of what he termed ‘failed promises and lies’ by President John Dramani Mahama. Nana Addo emphatically said residents had called even when the President was addressing Parliament that, the project was completed during the Kufuor regime.

But the government has hit back. This time with detailed information about the construction of the Hohoe Township roads.

These are verifiable facts at the Department of Urban Roads:

• Hohoe Traffic Light to market road: Completed in 2015

• Hohoe Hospital Road: Awarded in 2015 and is under construction

• Hohoe Post Office to Obama Junction and through to Education: Completed in 2012

• Hohoe to Kitikpa road: Awarded in 2005 and completed in 2010.

• Hohoe EP Secondary road: Awarded in 2005 and completed in 2010

Besides the NPP says its government constructed over 30,000 kilometers of roads, far more than what the Mahama Administration is touting as one of its major achievements.

Nana Akufo Addo also accused government of inflating the cost of projects. Nana Addo for example said while a kilometer of road constructed costs 500,000 dollars under the NPP regime, NDC is executing the same stretch at a whopping 1.5 million dollars. But factors considered in upgrading roads and building entire new ones differ.

Minister for Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini describes that statement as he put it ‘is palpably and demonstrably false’. Alhaji Fuseini cited the 24 kilometer Fumesua-Duaponkor-Konongo project which was awarded before the NPP left office for 62 million dollars. This represents 2.681 million dollars per kilometer, that’s about four times what Nana Addo quoted.

Inusah Fuseini’s presentation gives a clear indication that NPP couldn’t have built 30,000 kilometers of road within 8 years when the entire stretch since Independence in 1957, through the Military regimes was 67, 000 kilometers as of 2008.

Away from roads, Nana Akufo Addo also raised doubt about achievements in the health sector.

One case in point is the Salaga District hospital project in the Northern region.

• The NPP Flagbearer told reporters, ‘Far from the work progressing on the 60-bed district hospital in Salaga as the President claimed, those who live in that community describe the site as fenced, locked and abandoned’.

In a sharp rebuttal, NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketsia said the twice defeated NPP Flagbearer only succeeded in embarrassing himself. The NDC Chief Scribe has since produced pictures showing the project at lintel level to debunk earlier allegations that it has been abandoned with the site fenced.

Again Nana Addo alleges the cost of the Ridge Hospital expansion project is bloated. And this was General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah’s response: “He claimed that the Ridge Hospital has been inflated by US$142 million and the basis for this is a supposed Crown Agent report. What he showed was a shocking lack of thoroughness and attention to detail. If he had applied himself to a diligent search for information he would have been aware that the Crown Agent report he relied on has long since been repudiated following incontrovertible proof offered by the Ministry of Health and the contractor to the effect that the initial claims were unfounded”

Several hospital projects which the Mahama Adminsitration is constructing:

• 160 bed -Upper West Regional Hospital at Wa

• 386 bed Upper East Regional Hospital at Bolgatanga

• 250 bed Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua

• Ridge Hospital Expansion project

• The University of Ghana Teaching Hospital-Legon

• Kumasi Military Hospital and scores of health posts and CHIPS compounds across the length and breadth of the country.

Besides, several district hospitals and CHIPS compounds are under construction with the hope of improving access.

Another lie which was embarrassing to Nana Akuffo Addo was that the Kasoa Interchange project was an avenue for rip off by government officials. But Mr. Asiedu Nketiah maintains Nana Addo failed to seek advice from his own ranking members of Parliament one of who has publicly ridiculed him.

So who is speaking the truth and are candidates taking any lessons? “Can Ghanaians trust Nana Addo?”