Roads Minister hangs up during interview; says he doesn’t engage in banter

Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Atta shocked the listeners of Kasapa FM Thursday morning when he disrespected them by hanging up shortly after he was engaged in a live innocuous telephone interview.

He had been called to respond to the Minority in Parliament claim that there was no value for money audit conducted on the $2bn Sinohydro project and that Ghanaians could be shortchanged it government proceeds with the project.

The Minority also claimed there is also no written legal opinion on the project expected to provide social infrastructure as demanded by law.

But the Minister told Kwaku Owusu Adjei host of Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa FM that irrespective of how important an issue could be, he does not engage in banter on radio and will prefer commenting in Parliament which he believes it’s a better platform than on the radio.

“If I talk in Parliament who am I talking to, am I not talking to Ghana? and where is the better more appropriate forum to speak Ghana than Parliament? I’m saying we shouldn’t be engaging in banter on the radio, I say this and another person on the other line says another. Let’s debate the issue in Parliament, that is where we have to debate it.

“I had traveled, I want the issue to come up in Parliament, wait and let the issue be raised in Parliament, after my contribution in Parliament then you can call me alone and talk to me about what I said, then you’re engaging me. But what I don’t like is to engage in banter with another person on the other line. Thank you.”

The Minister then dropped the line leaving the host dumbfounded.

The Sinhydro Corporation under the terms of the Master Project Support Agreement will finance and construct Accra and Kumasi inner city roads, Tamale interchange, Takoradi PTC roundabout interchange, and Adenta-Dodowa dual carriageway.

The Sunyani and Cape Coast inner city roads, upgrading of selected roads in Ashanti and Western regions, rehabilitation of the Oda-Ofoase-Abirem road and Hohoe-Jasikan-Dodi Pepesu road.