US$150m Odaw Dredging loan: Apologise to Ibrahim Mahama who did it for free - Adongo to NPP

The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has demanded an apology from the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration for the CEO of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama.

According to the Ranking Member for the Finance Committee, leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), including MPs in opposition, vilified Ibrahim Mahama for dredging the Odaw River at no cost to the state as a way to address the flooding situation in Accra.

He made this call during the consideration of the report of the finance committee on an additional financing agreement between the government of Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank for an amount of $150,000,000, to finance the ongoing Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project.

Adongo also questioned the basis for the criticisms against the brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama, who was assisting with the dredging at no cost to the state.

“Mr. Speaker, a few years ago a philanthropist in our country decided to use his own resources to dretch the Odaw River. It was politicized by these same people who are now asking us to approve this loan. Mr. Ibrahim Mahama using his company Engineers and Planners was dretching that Odaw for free. I want to call on the majority to apologise to Ibrahim Mahama for the work he did for us for free and we are now asking for $200 million for which we cannot show any work done and we are asking today that another $150 million be approved for the same project as additional financing.”

Isaac Adongo further stated that his side cannot support the approval of the facility given the fact that an initial $200 million approved for the same project could not be accounted for.

“Mr. Speaker the minority completely distances itself from this heinous infliction of mismanagement of public funds and the reckless activities of GARID. They cannot tell us what they have used the $200 million for and then they come again with a cup in hand asking for an additional $150 million”

The Ranking Member argued the house might approve the facility but he will not have anything to do with such approval.

“Mr. Speaker like the Pontius Pilate, I completely wash my hands off this. Mr. Speaker, this will be a decision of the house and not a decision of Isaac Adongo,” he emphasized.

Approval of the facility was, however, deferred for further engagement between the finance committee and leadership of the committee on Works and Housing which has oversight of the project.