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General News of Sunday, August 4, 2019
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2019-08-04
Night vision binocular obtained from Google
The minority in Parliament opposed a loan application of $ 11,040,425 million for the purchase of Binoculars and Night Vision Monoculars for the Ghana Armed Forces.
The amount represents a deposit paid to the Finance CIC, Luxembourg provider after signing a contract with the Government of Ghana.
According to the Parliament's Finance Committee, the army will use the equipment and accessories needed to defend Ghana's territorial waters.
The Committee had previously proposed $ 66 million, but had to divide the project into three phases, each due to funding issues.
Each equipment should cost $ 6,850.
Delivered by millions of dollars in loans for equipment that they believe can be bought at a lower price, the minority refused to endorse the deal.
James Agalga, MP for Builsa North, said the proposed prices were ridiculous.
After a cursory search on the E-Bay online trading platform, the MP said he found that the same equipment was being sold at a much lower price than the transaction.
"You'll find as low as $ 1,000 and the highest around $ 3,000, but we're told we're going to buy them for $ 6,850. This is why this report should indicate the exact specifications of the equipment.
"It's very important because nowadays all these accessories are on the Internet. You do not have to go to a store to buy them, "he added.
He asked "how can we tax Ghanaians and waste them in the way we propose to do".
Mr. Agalga asked the Finance Committee to withdraw the proposal, reevaluate the agreement and come back to the House with better information because the current one is defective.
Even though he's not against the equipment of the Armed Forces, he said, "We are obligating the taxpayer to ensure value for money when we make those purchases.
"We should not say, because it is the army, we will all be silent," he lamented.
But Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul was not in agreement with the MP.
He said the equipment is best for the purpose for which it is intended.
He acknowledged that there are cheaper models, but said, "This is not what the armed forces are going to use. Ghana's armed forces have a standard and are held to these standards.
"Before the armed forces buy equipment, they must first inspect it. Ghana's armed forces are therefore not the type to use the Internet to buy equipment, "he added.
He stressed that the standards of the armed forces can not be lowered and that they can not buy anything less than the quality of the western type.
"The men and women of the armed forces are the ones who go shopping and the government will make the payments and we should trust them to do what is right.
"Defense is not a normal department where the minister will go shopping."
According to him, the price of $ 6,850 is the lowest on the market "for a very good night vision mask and the type of equipment we are looking for".
Kwesi Parker Wilson, Joy News, said that despite opposition from the latter, the majority was getting by while the loan was approved.
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