Parliament orders Works and Housing Ministry to account for €42m

The Ministry of Works and Housing is to provide Parliament with the details on the use of a 42 million- Euro facility from the Dutch government, purposed for the construction of storm drains in Accra.

The Speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho, on Tuesday gave the order on the floor of Parliament when Mr Yaw Adusei, Deputy Sector Minister, appeared before the House to answer an urgent question relating to the Ministry on behalf of Dr Kwaku Agyemang Mensah, the substantive Minister.

The directive came at the denial of the details of the facility, when the Member for Anyia/Sowutuom, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, enquired when the Lafa storm drains would be constructed?

Ms Botchway sought to find out why the delay in the construction of the drain, which stretches over 13 kilometres through Nii Boye Town, Santa Maria, Kwashieman, Awoshie Ablemuma, A Lang and Mallam, all suburbs in Accra.

She wondered how the facility that was approved by the House for the construction of the Accra storm drains that included the ones on the Lafa/Onyinase Rivers, was expended when those critical storm drains had not been constructed.

According to the Legislator, the issue was critical because seven people in her constituency lost their lives in the June 3, floods that inundated Accra and surrounding areas, owing to the lack of proper storm drains in the capital.

Mr Adusei said he had no knowledge of the Dutch facility and asked the House to give him some time to look for information concerning the issue and furnish the House.

But he said the Ministry was, however, carrying out survey works and design of the Lafa drain, including cost estimates to enable it to source for funding from the Ministry of Finance for its construction.
“The Ministry will implement the project when funding is provided by the Ministry of Finance,” he added. No time lines were immediately provided.

Source: GNA