Gov't, PURC inflating borehole project costs – Sir John

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) of conniving with the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to inflate the prices of government projects to help the ruling party finance its campaign.

According to the party, government’s intention of constructing one borehole at a cost of GHS 60,000 instead of GHS 18,000 is enough evidence that government is corrupt.

“It doesn’t make sense, having spoken to the players in the industry of the cost of drilling a borehole. The price that the PURC is asking government to pay especially on sole sourcing to be allowed to drill a single borehole at the cost of GHS60,000 does not make sense as far as people in the industry are concerned,” a former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, told Class News’ Kwesi Parker-Wilson.



Meanwhile, earlier at a press conference, Sir John alleged government had contracted a “bogus” company to import items for National Security to enable it provide security during the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to him, the government’s decision to dole out $300 million to an unknown company to undertake the importation of these security equipment smacks of “corruption and thievery”.

He wondered why the government would spend such a huge amount on this company at a time nurses and teachers, as well as other professional bodies, have not been paid their salary arrears.

“At a time nurses and teachers have not been paid, several people do not have jobs to do to make ends meet, the government has given out $300 million to a bogus company to import materials to be given to National Security to man the elections,” he said.

“How can you give out such an amount of money to a company that was established just yesterday to do this project? This shows the government is corrupt. Thievery has characterised this government.”