Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has disclosed that his outfit is taking necessary steps to ensure the construction of the Keta Sea defense project which was not captured in the 2022 budget presented by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on November 17, 2021.
According to him, his ministry had prior to the reading of the budget engaged the finance ministry on the urgency for the construction to be undertaken. Mr Asenso-Boakye explained that his engagement with the finance ministry entailed plans to draw out a roadmap for the implementation of the project.
“The ministry is taking important steps to implement phase 2 of the project. [The] hydrological service department has completed an evaluation of technical and financial proposals for the second phase and my ministry is engaging the ministry of finance to raise the needed funds for its implementation. We had had all the necessary engagement with the finance ministry and I was hoping that it would be captured. I have since engaged with the finance minister and he has assured me that funds would be available for the project to comment soon”.
Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye
His revelations on the matter follows a question filed by the Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin, who requested the Housing Minister to provide updates on the second phase of the Blekuso Sea Defence project.
Deputy majority leader probes non-inclusion of seas defence project in budget
The Efutu legislator in his supplementary question demanded answers from Mr Asenso-Boakye on why the project was not captured in the 2022 budget.
“Mr. Speaker I went through the budget for 2022 as presented by the finance minister and didn’t see anything about phase 2. From the minister’s answer, is it his case that as a result of the preliminary works not having been completed could perhaps be the reason for not budgeting for same in 2022? Because the minister said they are doing some preliminary works and so he is unable to determine even the cost”.
Mr Alexander Afenyo Markin
Mr Afenyo Markin equally probed whether the inability to complete the “costing” is the reason why the project didn’t find space in the 2022 budget.
Meanwhile, some MPs from the Volta Caucus such as the Ketu South MP, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, expressed concern over the Housing minister’s response and demanded more answers for the reason why the Finance Ministry did not include the defence project in the 2022 budget.
The housing minister in response, expressed that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, did not explain to him why the project was not captured in the budget.
Prior to this, the chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing, Isaac Asiamah expressed the committee’s intent to present a comprehensive report on the tidal waves which affected some communities in the Volta Region.
Addressing the media after visiting communities affected by the tidal waves in the Volta Region. Mr. Asiamah noted that the situation must be treated as a national emergency. He indicated that the committee would present to Parliament its findings, observations and recommendations for immediate action to be taken.
Mr Asaimah underscored that the committee, is concerned about the “plight of Ghanaians” and will do whatever it takes to ensure issues of tidal waves remained a national priority.
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