The Minority Leader, Mr. Alban Bagbin, has admitted that his party, the former ruling National Democratic Congress prepared an estimate for the renovation and refurbishment of the Castle, that could have cost the nation over ?3 billion, more than the ?1.6 (9) billion figure prepared by the Kufuor administration for the same project. However, he said that the NDC's amount for the project would have been spread over a number of years.
Refuting inaccuracies in a GNA story over the government's award of the contract to a number of companies, one of which he claimed the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, has an interest in, and at the same time, accepting the challenge to go to court and defend himself, the Minority Leader intimated that a HIPC country can not afford the amount quoted for the project at a go.
The GNA story, which was picked by the Daily Graphic, nearly landed it in court, for refusing to publish a rejoinder to it sent by Jake, the GNA has long apologised to the Minister.
Mr. Bagbin, speaking on a local radio station, JOY FM, asserted that for a country that just sought refuge under the HIPC initiative it cannot withdraw such an amount to renovate and refurbish the Castle for a President who earns ?1.9 million a month. Brushing aside taunts against them (NDC) that the party and its members do not have the moral right to brand any person corrupt, because his government was perceived as the most corrupt, he replied that as the Minority party, it has every right to do whatever it is doing and to make sure good governance thrives in the country.
The Minority Leader, who is also the MP for Nadowli North, accused the government of not living up to its mantra - low tolerance for corruption - and objected to the explanation by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Kwamena Bartels, that the contract was not open to tender because of time constraint.
