Security Building Wasn't A Priority For Presidential Palace - Mpiani

The former Chief of Staff in the erstwhile NPP Government, Kojo Mpiani says the NPP administration did not see the need to prioritize the construction of a security post when work begun on the Golden Jubilee House. "Some flats located opposite the Jubilee house were built by the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah for the purpose," he intimated. Those flats, according to Mr. Mpiani, were being occupied by the security personnel at the time the construction works started on the palace so there was no need to make the erection of a security post a priority. He however added that a permanent accommodation for security officials at the complex was to be built once the main edifice was completed. The former Chief of staff was reacting in an interview with Citi News to assertions by the NDC government on Thursday, October 1, that an additional $ 35 million is needed to build a residential facility for security officials at the palace due to the failure of the Kufuor government to build one. A Deputy Minister for Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on Thursday told the media that the Government needed an additional US $50 million dollars to complete the new seat of government. He made the disclosure after touring the presidential palace with some journalists. From the initial estimation of the project, the Indian Government made available $30 million as grant, while the Government of Ghana was to provide a counterpart funding of $6.9 million. When the NDC took over the administration of the country in January 2009, a member of the Executive Assets Committee of Government�s Transitional Team, Nana Ato Dadzie disclosed that an additional $12 million dollars was required to fully complete the Golden Jubilee House. However Speaking to Citi News after the tour on Thursday, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said although a greater portion of the building has been completed, there are some aspects which would require at least fifty million dollars to complete. He disclosed that of the needed amount, $35 million would be used to construct a security post behind the premises of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, $15 Million for landscaping and $ 2 million dollars resource fund would be paid to the director of the project. According to Mr. Ablakwa an additional $52.1 million has already been spent on the presidential palace aside the budget of �30 million originally earmarked for it; summing up to $82.1 million. Should the latest spending be made, a total of $132.1 million would have been spent on the construction of Ghana�s new presidential edifice. Reacting to this latest development, Mr. Kojo Mpiani told Citi News in an interview that his administration completed the offices for occupancy and that he was not sure what the NDC Government needed an additional $50 million dollars for. �They should know what they need the money for�all what I know is that we completed the offices ready to move in and the contractors were on the residence. I don�t think there was any additional thing unless within the past nine months something has come up. That one I don�t know� He said the NPP completed the main complex including the development of a general services area to house the Clinic, Bank, Post Office and accommodation for some workers from the office of the president. �We built a general services area; it was part of the whole complex� which was to house the clinic, post office, Bank, some of the staff of the office of the president. If it is being extended, I don�t know.� He said.