At a time when Ghanaians are being told to tighten their belts and to pray for better times in future, and the John Atta Mills-led social democrats are preaching austerity and cost-cutting measures, it has allocated and fully refurbished a bungalow at huge cost for the exclusive use of the Second Lady, Lordina Mahama, the first time such an allocation has been made in the history of Ghana!
This did not happen even under the allegedly ostentatious regime New Patriotic Party (NPP)! The bungalow, located at House Number C2 at Cantonments in Accra, is believed to be one of the residences refurbished at a cost of ¢1.2 billion which went to parliament recently.
Mrs. Lordina Mahama, 46, has been allocated the government bungalow with state of the art furnishing and a 24-hour police guard duties which she is using as an office.
Interestingly checks by the Searchlight newspaper revealed that the First Lady of the land, in the person of Mrs. Naadu Mills is yet to be given an official office. The wife of the former Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was not given an office by the State let alone a bungalow for the eight years the NPP was in office, but they were accused of abusing state funds through misuse!
Yesterday a visit by the Searchlight to the location of the office was met with little resistance as neighbors hurriedly and willing gave the direction to the office, follow where the gentleman came from and turn right and look out for the number, you will see a policeman in the premises”, a neighbor told the Searchlight newspaper when he got to the residence of the late and former Finance Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu.
When the Searchlight called up the Minister of Water Resource, Works and Housing, Hon. Albert Abongo, he said the second lady is entitled to a State office and government has equally fulfilled its constitutional obligation to the Second Lady. “Which bungalow are you talking about, I know that those bungalows in that area are for the government…There are lots there, which one especially and what is the problem with that bungalow”?
After telling him the reason for the call, he said “Are you aware that the wife of the Vice President is entitled to a State office, we checked the occupancy in the area and that bungalow was available so my Ministry gave it to her!” he said. When asked why the wife of the Vice President was given a government bungalow for use as an office whiles some Ministers of State and their Deputies as well as former President John Kufuor are yet to be given bungalows and a office, he got irritated saying “I have told you that we checked the occupancy and we are making provisions as and when they are brought to our attention,” he said.
All attempts to speak to the aide of the Vice President, John Jinapor never materialized as his MTN phone was out of coverage area. When the office of the Vice President was contacted, the Searchlight was told that John Jinapor was in a meeting.
