Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, stressed that the Pwalugu Dam’s importance cannot be downplayed, highlighting that every government since Nkrumah’s time has attempted to build it, underscoring its enduring significance.
According to him, the NPP government had planned to develop the Pwalugu Dam through the Sinohydro agreement, but unfortunately, economic constraints have hindered funding, posing a significant challenge to the project’s progress.
Furthermore, he called for a thorough investigation into the US$12 million paid for the Pwalugu Dam’s construction, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability to determine how these funds were utilized, and ensuring that the public is fully informed about the matter.
“I also agree with John [Jinapor] and the Chairman of the Energy Committee. A lot has gone on with the Pwalugu Dam, so much money has been spent on it and we haven’t made any headway. The possibilities are many and I don’t want to throw a guess as to what might have happened with the money… For now, we all have to be patient and entreat the government to get the constructors to explain why those monies were paid”.
Amidu Issahaku Chinnia
Accordingly, Chinnia demanded that the government provide the necessary documentation to facilitate the probe, including the certificate of payment and a detailed justification for the payment made to the contractor, to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the project.
“The amount involved, what was it intended for, was it for the actual construction, was it for preliminary works? We need to know so that there can have value for money”. – Amidu Issahaku Chinnia
Moreover, he pressed the government to promptly address the issue, stressing that a significant amount of US$12 million cannot be left unexplained and must be accounted for without delay.
As such, he stressed that in light of the recent controversies, the government should have responded swiftly and transparently through the relevant ministries or agencies, as this is crucial for maintaining public trust and demonstrating accountability to the people of Ghana.
$12m Payment Unjustified
Meanwhile, John Jinapor, the Ranking Member of the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament, pointed out that the Auditor General’s Report found that the US$12 million paid to the contractors was an unjustified payment that should have been avoided.
As such, he stressed that the available evidence suggests that the payment was made improperly, and the government should have heeded the auditor’s instruction to withhold payment, rather than proceeding with the transaction.
“That is why government officials are quiet… You know, it’s not like the Central Bank pays, it goes to the Controller and the Controller has to verify and then issue the instruction. So if the auditors cannot find any paper trace and they are saying that this shouldn’t have been paid, it is a huge problem. US$ 12 million is no small money. There should be evidence on the ground”.
John Jinapor
Furthermore, Jinapor pointed out that the Pwalugu Dam contract, being an EPC(Engineer, Procure, Construct) contract, means that construction has already started, and the payment will primarily be used to support the ongoing execution and completion of the project.
As such, he contended that a substantial amount like US$12 million cannot be justified for mere paperwork or intangible services that lack physical evidence or tangible results.
“That is why went there…so that we will see for ourselves only to be told that the two trips of sand, they’ve sold it”. – John Jinapor
Moreover, John Jinapor stressed that the Minority is committed to ensuring that anyone found culpable in this matter will face the full consequences of their actions and be held accountable for their wrongdoing.
“We will activate all the parliamentary processes to retrieve that amount of money, almost GHC 200 million, that has been dashed to this contractor. Somebody must be held accountable. US$12 million can do a lot in this country”.
John Jinapor
He pledged that the Minority would exhaust all legal and legitimate channels to reclaim the stolen money and bring to justice those who have perpetrated this financial fraud and caused harm to the state’s finances.
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