Akufo-Addo lied about suspended cocoa road projects – Minority

The minority in Parliament has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to make public findings of investigations into the suspended cocoa road projects initiated by the Mahama-led administration.

According to the majority, failure by government to make the findings of the investigations available would mean government “lied” about reasons for the suspension.

The NPP government upon assumption of office in 2017 suspended all cocoa road projects awarded by the former President John Mahama, over alleged discrepancies and financial irregularities in the award of the contracts.

However, findings of the report is yet to be published after the investigation, despite several calls by the minority for government to make the report public.

In May 2019, the Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta hinted work was to resume on some Cocoa road projects following government’s directive to the Finance Ministry to release funds to settle debt owed contractors.

Speaking to Class News’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Charles Akrofi, ranking member on the Transport Committee of Parliament, Kwame Agbodza bemoaned why government has till date not published the report if indeed there were irregularities as government contends.

Mr Agbodza said: “.....in the specific case of COCOBOD, the government is extremely embarrassed by the fact that the President himself lied when he came to Parliament and the Minister and COCOBOD Chief Executive, when they pretended that for instance cocoa roads under NDC were inflated. Some of the roads didn't even exist and then they set up a committee, suspended all the roads and then some of them deteriorated.

“They are quietly asking some of the contractors to go back to work...I can tell you there was not an iota of malfeasance or wrongdoing...you know NPP if they found something they would have been on the roof top.”

According to the Adaklu Member of Parliament (MP), several attempts to seek answers from government regarding the cocoa roads have proven futile.

He noted that anytime he does, government “dribbles” him.