The Member of Parliament for Bolgantanga Central Constituency and Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Isaac Adongo has strongly criticized the ruling New Patriotic Party administration’s proposal to secure $150 million loan facility for the dredging of the Odaw River in the Greater Accra Region.
The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, while criticizing the government’s mismanagement of an initial $200 million loan for the project, highlighted the philanthropic effort undertaken several years ago by Ibrahim Mahama, the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, who utilized his resources and company to dredged the Odaw River without taken any money from the state.
The Honorable Isaac Adongo accused the ruling New Patriotic Party of politicizing the Chief Executive Officer for Engineers and Planners, Mr Ibrahim Mahama’s efforts at the time, only to now come forth requesting a substantial loan amounting to $150 million for the same purpose.
He called upon the Majority Caucus in Parliament and the governing New Patriotic Party to apologize to the Chief Executive Officer of the Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama for his previous pro bono work on the Odaw River.
“Mr. Speaker like the Pontius Pilate, I completely wash my hands off this. Mr. Speaker, this will be a decision of the house and not a decision of Isaac Adongo”.
Isaac Adongo, MP Bolgatanga Central
Furthermore, the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee on Finance questioned the necessity of the loan when the government has yet to demonstrate any tangible results from the previous $200 million allocated for the project.
Honorable Isaac Adongo expressed deep concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the allocation and utilization of the previous funds, emphasizing that such conduct undermines the tenant of good governance.
Minority Rejects $150M Loan Facility
Moreover, Honorable Isaac Adongo stated that the National Democratic Congress Minority Caucus in Parliament cannot support the approval of the $150 loan facility given the fact that an initial $200 million approved for the same project could not be accounted for.
He described the loan agreement for the $150 for the continuation of the dredging of the Odaw River as a “heinous infliction’ of mismanagement of public funds as well as a “reckless” activities of the contractor of the project.
In response to Mr Adongo’s allegations, the Majority Caucus in Parliament defended the necessity of the loan facility, emphasizing the critical importance of addressing the environmental challenges posed by the Odaw River, particularly during rainy seasons.
The Majority Caucus in Parliament pledged to provide comprehensive reports detailing the utilization of previous funds and assuring transparency in the management of future allocations.
Meanwhile, the approval of the loan facility was however deferred for further engagement between the finance committee and leadership of the committee on Works and Housing which has oversight of the project.
It is recalled that the government secured $200 million in funds from the World Bank to dredge the Odaw River for five years in the year 2021.
The former Minister for Works and Housing and current Minister of Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, disclosed this during an inspection of the works on the Odaw drain with the Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle, Dr. Zanetor Rawlings in May 2021.
The former Minister of Works and Housing further emphasized that the re-engineering works on the drain would address perennial flooding challenges and help bring relief to residents in flood-prone communities close to the drain in Greater Accra when completed.
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