The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has exposed the government for allegedly bloating the costs of equipment for the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP).
According to Mr. Ablakwa, a parliamentary probe has revealed a staggering $102 million (GH₵1.6 billion) price inflation, placing an undue financial burden of $178.7 million on Ghanaian taxpayers, instead of the actual cost of $76.6 million.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Ablakwa, disclosed that the equipment, primarily sourced from Chinese manufacturers, LiuGong and Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group, and supplied through J.A. Plant Pool, a Zoomlion subsidiary, was purchased at exorbitant prices, with inflated prices reaching up to 217%.
The North Tongu MP asserted that this discovery contradicts Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s past statements in 2016 and 2017, where he condemned sole-sourcing contracts for being overpriced and failing to provide value for money.
Despite the Vice President’s pledges to eliminate these practices, the DRIP contract, which was sole-sourced, has proven to be a glaring example of the very issue he vowed to address.
Mr. Ablakwa announced that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter. He also demanded decisive action to prevent the full payment of the inflated amount and hold accountable those responsible for this “devastating” deal.
