The group calls for an independent inquiry into the chancery arrangement in Oslo

General News of Thursday, July 11, 2019

Source: Graphic.com.gh

2019-07-11

STRANEK-Africa Pressure Group calls for an independent investigation into the failed project to purchase a building in Oslo, Norway, to serve as Chancery at the Ghana Embbady.

In a statement released on Thursday, the group said its appeal followed charges of outsourcing the purchase of the building and wanted to know why this effort was totally canceled.

STRANEK-Africa also expressed disappointment that President Akufo-Addo has chosen to remain silent on requests to investigate allegations of corruption in the procurement process, saying that the President, while being in a position to the opposition, "has never missed an opportunity to profit alleged bribery practices by people appointed by the former administration."

Below is the complete statement of STRANEK-Africa

RESIDENCE OF OSLO CHANCERIE; AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY NECESSARY – STRANEK

On March 6, 2018, Her Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo did not mince her words during the speech at the Independence Day parade, stating: "My fellow countrymen, corruption, or more precisely the theft of public funds, continues to hinder the development of our society. nation. Corruption is not a partisan affair and we must all act to protect the public purse. Similarly, in an interview in a BBC interview on 12 December 2016, Nana Addo explained that not only would the fight against corruption be limited to officials of the previous administration, but he also warned that members of the his government would not be "immune from investigation simply because we are politicians". However, STRANEK-Africa learned that the government had never relaxed its efforts and mobilized all forces to prosecute and prosecute alleged corrupt officials of the previous NDC government. The same government was dragging its motives and investigations without reason. in the government led by Nana Akufo-Addo for reasons better known to them.

In September 2018, the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, announced its intention to establish an Embbady in Oslo, Norway, which officially opened on November 21, 2018. Following the Minister's submission to the Special Parliamentary Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, NDC, issued a red alert regarding deficiencies in prize money. purchase.

Defending its bid to purchase in a press release, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration reportedly said that "said building was originally an office and later converted into a residence. The current renovation is to restore the building to an office complex. The question we are asking is: at whose request, the building located at 3 Sigyns Gate, 0260 Oslo, across from Frogner Park in Oslo, has been converted into an office complex? By juxtaposing the many information and revelations from Africa Watch and independent auditors, we have little to believe information coming from the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey. Even more, Considering that the Special Foreign Affairs Committee has still not received a copy of the letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs claiming to have suspended the purchase on December 12, 2018 and the non-availability of the response the seller while a Ghanaian The delegation went to Oslo to inspect the property on December 13, 2018, there is something to worry about.

We ask why Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey wrote a letter suspending the planned purchase of the Oslo Chancery Project after the Hon. Samuel Ablakwa, Africawatch and the Norwegian newspaper Finansavisen launched the red alert? Does President Akufo-Addo's disinterest in setting up a commission to investigate these allegations, is it a sign that there is nothing wrong with the negotiations being held and that there is nothing wrong with the negotiations taking place? He is only waiting for the boiling water to cool and reinvest the country in this purchase? The claims of Norwegian workers in Building No. 3 Sigyns Gate, located at 0260 Oslo, that the building is being renovated for use as an embbady by the Ghana Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, are not- they are not disturbing enough to call into question relations? If the information available is not very reliable, then what is the full liability of the state and who pays it? This should not escape our thoughts.

It's very disappointing for a president who has never missed an opportunity to take advantage of the alleged corruption practices committed by former government appointees in the run-up to the 2016 elections to occupy a such post.

STRANEK-Africa supports the call for an independent investigation into the bid to buy the Oslo Chancery located at 3 Sigyns Gate, Oslo 0260, across from Frogner Park in Oslo, and explains why the Purchase was canceled.

Sign.

Emmanuel Osei
Director of Policy and Political Affairs (STRANEK-AFRICA Policy Think Tank)
Party Management Consultant
University of Bergen, Norway
+47 412 45 303

Nii Tettey Tetteh
Executive director
+233 249 659 467
Email: [email protected]