Live TV Showdown: Solomon Owusu, Kwadwo Poku clash over Pwalugu Dam

A heated moment of tensions erupted between the Communications Director of the United Party, Solomon Owusu, and Kwadwo Poku, the Executive Director of INSTEPR and a member of the NPP Communications Directorate, over alleged claims attributed to the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The tensions happened on JoyNews on the morning of Thursday, March 5, 2026, when both individuals appeared as panelists and were discussing issues related to the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL).

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Solomon Owusu claimed that Dr Bawumia had stated in a 2020 interview that the Pwalugu Dam had been constructed and completed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

“Your candidate said that the Pwalugu project had been completed. When he said that, was he lying to us or he was right?” he quizzed.

However, Kwadwo Poku challenged Owusu’s claims, stating that they were inaccurate and false, and accused him of attempting to misinform the public.

Poku stated that although feasibility studies and related preparatory works for the dam may have been undertaken, the project was not executed due to challenges in securing the necessary funding.

He clarified that the total cost of the dam was $993 million and not $12million as claimed by Solomon Owusu.

“The entire project, the Pwalugu Dam was to cost $993 million. People keep talking about $12 million as if the cost of project was even $40 million.

“When somebody says that $12 million have been completed, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has not said anywhere and I challenge anybody to bring that script… Dr Bawumia has not said anywhere that a project that is to cost $993 million was completed with $12 million,” he stated.

He further stated that, “Listen, there is a GOG counterpart funding to the project, which is feasibility, which is all the designs and everything that's to do. It was passed by the parliament of Ghana. I have the documents. The work that the 12 million was to be done was completed.”

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The two men eventually went at each other, interjecting and engaging in a heated verbal exchange in the studio while on live television.

MAG/AE

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