In an attempt to challenge claims by the NPP that the cost of Nkrumah Interchange project was bloated, Mr Sammy Gyamfi was ‘slapped in the face’ when he was told that his colleague Felix Kwakye Ofosu earlier admitted that the NDC cannot challenge the $260million projected by Vice President Bawumia.
This happened when Host of CitiTV’s ‘Point of View’ Benard Avle pointed out to Sammy Gyamfi that Mr Kwakye also appeared on the same show to side with the NPP’s claim.
Looking confused and smart at the same time, Sammy insisted that the NDC does not in any way side with the $260million and that the cost of the interchange was rather $90million.
Benard Avle: “the problem with this is last year sitting on the same chair, Felix Kwakye Ofosu said nobody in his party has disputed the $260million claim. He denied that your party ever said anything about the cost.
Sammy Gyamfi: “That was before our press conference and before we appeared on NewsFile. He rectified that on NewsFile.”
Benard Avle: “Aren’t we splitting heads here? Your spokesperson said otherwise. I can play for you what Felix did.”
The NDC Communications Director further explained that Dr. Bawumia added the cost of two separate and distinct projects [the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and the Ring Road Flyover] which created the impression it was the cost of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange.
He vehemently argued that Dr. Bawumia engaged in a comparison of two projects that have different scope of work and specifications thereby presenting some documents to show that Parliament approved two separate loan agreements for the project in August 12, 2012 and 1st October 2014.
“It is important to emphasize that, the two projects (the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and the Ring Road Flyover) are distinct from each other and were separately approved by Parliament at different periods for different purposes. The scope of work of the two projects are totally different, and so it is disingenuous and shameful for Dr. Bawumia to lump the cost of the two projects together and create the impression that same is inflated.”
“On the issue of the cost of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, the claims Dr Bawumia made are misleading and not factual. But to break that down for the ordinary Ghanaian to understand, what Dr. Bawumia did was simply mischievous. He told a blatant lie when he said the cost of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange project is $260 million and we need to settle that issue once and for all because if you check the parliamentary Hansard of 16th August 2012, when the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange project was approved, it was very clear that the cost of the project as approved by Parliament was £74.8 million equivalent to $90 million at the time and Kwame Nkrumah interchange had only one phase, there was no phase two.” Sammy Gyamfi established.
The controversy over the cost of the project came after Vice President, Dr. Bawumia suggested that, projects done under the Mahama-led NDC Government did not offer value for and were inflated.
He compared the Tema, Pokuase, Obetsebi Lamptey and Tamale Interchanges all at a cost of 289 Million dollars, but that of the Nkrumah Interchange under NDC cost 260 Million dollars.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
