'Petty' NPP government plagiarizing my projects – Mahama

Former President John Mahama has taunted President Akufo-Addo over the decision to cut sod again for the second phase of the Kumasi Airport project.

According to him, sod was cut for the project in the full glare of the public in December 2016 after financing arrangement was completed for it.

President Akufo-Addo last week cut sod again for the construction of the project as part of his working tour. The ceremony was attended by the Asantehene.

Addressing NDC supporters in the Volta region at the last edition of the party’s Unity Walk Saturday, Mr. Mahama said the inability of the NPP government to give credit where it is due is a sign of pettiness and immaturity.

“The projects they described as photoshop, they are now going round commissioning them today. But you know the most shocking, they are also cutting sod again for projects that we have cut sod for already. Kumasi airport phase 2, we got the loan $65 million, we sent it to parliament, parliament approved it. On December 6, 2016 I was asked to go cut sod for the project, when I went to the site, the contractor had started working, he had taken control of the site, he had cleared the place and started working. And I broke the ground for the commencement of work.

“On 7th January 2017 they asked him to stop work and they kept him waiting for 18 months and they come back and cut the same sod, same contractor, same money, same site and you ask the contractor to build and finish in two years. That project would have been completed by next year, what a waste of national resources” Mahama bemoaned.

He continued: “Let me give you examples, and that is the pettiness of the NPP. They cannot even give credit where it is due. What does it take away from you if you give credit? President Rawlings carried out the feasibility study for the Bui Dam project, President Kufuor came and found the money and started the project, When president Mills came the money wasn’t enough so he went to China and got additional money to continue, the project was finally finished under president Mahama.

“When I went to commission the project, I invited President Kufuor to come and sit down. I told the whole country that this man started this project, what do you lose? When President Mills was commissioning the N1 project, he invited President Kufuor and he said it is this man who started it. What do you lose? It shows the pettiness, low standards, immaturity of the NPP as a government. There are many other projects that I know they will come to commission them. This plagiarism; I thought that only speeches were plagiarized but now I know that projects can also be plagiarized”.