"Cabinet is more confused than myself" -Asiedu-Nkestia

NDC’s Member of Parliament for Wenchi-West, Mr. Johnson Asiedu-Nkestia, has criticised Cabinet for sending to Parliament, two letters bearing the same reference number and signature, describing it as a clear case of forgery.

"Cabinet is more confused than myself. This is a classical example of forgery," the former deputy Minister told Parliament, Wednesday amidst objections from the leader of the House, Papa Owusu-Ankomah.

The majority leader protested that he (Asiedu-Nketia) was alleging a motive of crime on Cabinet so he should withdraw. Mr. Aseidu-Nkestia complied with the Speaker's ruling and withdrew the word "forgery" and asked that the Leader supplied him with the appropriate legal term to describe the incident. "This is a very serious irregul arity bordering on crime," Mr. Nkestia said after he withdrew the word "forgery."

First Deputy Speaker, Mr. Freddy Blay, who was in the chair, said he had said the same thing. The MP withdrew again and said: " This is a very serious thing and it can create room for fraud."

Hon. Asiedu-Nkestia criticised the joint committee on Finance and Works and Housing for allowing the letters to slip through. "I agree with the objectives of the loan and I agree with government's desire to provide adequate housing for the masses but the devil lies in the details," he said.

To him, inconsistencies exist in the report of the joint committee adding, "the House should be saved from further confusion. "This report is worth not more than the paper on which it was written," the hard-hitting MP said.

"We need to organise seminars for ministers and some members to deliver on such matters," he said adding that the report be withdrawn. In his response to the contribution of Mr. Asiedu-Nkestia, Hon. Owusu-Ankoma said there might be procedural errors but it did not mean that seminars would be necessary for members. "The whole country knows what happened before we (NPP) came to power."

He explained that the confusion came about because there was a first report that was amended but it happened that the original version came with the amended version. " For all confusion on the matter to be erased, I submit that the motion be deferred but hope that the other side would co-operate with us in the same spirit in future."

The Joint committee on Finance and Works and Housing had presented a report on the Supplier agreement between Ghana and Hycoprojekt Bratislavia A.S of Slovkia for 414 million dollars for housing development