We couldn't get 300 chairs from a local Ghanaian manufacturer

“We set a time limit to move into this chamber and we could not get any company to provide us with the 300 chairs and tables within that short time… there are companies which can produce maybe in a years’ time or two, but we had set ourselves a time limit,” says Hon Alfred Kwame Agbesi, Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament.

Some Members of Parliament on Tuesday, expressed disappointment at the ‘Chinese’ products used to refurbish the new chamber of the House.

According to them, 90% of the items used including: newly installed computerized console on their tables, new seats, larger television and voting screens, carpets and new chandeliers were not of the best quality.

The new Chamber became necessary following Parliament's inability to fully accommodate the 275 legislators in the old chamber.

Some of the MPs and other critics on social media bemoaned the importation of the furniture from China; a sharp contrast to President John Dramani Mahama’s call for the patronage of made in Ghana goods.

But speaking in defence of Parliament’s action, Hon. Alfred Kwame Agbesi, said there was no way the House could have waited for a local furniture producer to produce the 300 chairs and tables because they had set October 2014 to move in.

The refurbishment of the parliament has been a pending issue, and all of us agreed that by a certain time, this job should be done…we needed over 300 chairs and tables before we could move in… we went on recess hoping that by 1st October, we will be back, and the place will be put in use; now which furniture company in Ghana would have given us this quantity within this short period? The reason for the purchase of the ‘China’ furniture, he told Citi FM.

Even though he could not tell the exact time China was contracted to produce the furniture, he said somewhere in August “the team had to go to China to do an inspection and selection and the company said they could supply the amount within the time limit.”

“It is not the issue that because we said we have to use made-in-Ghana goods then if you want to buy 300 furniture at the end of this week, you have to go from shop to shop taking different furniture… the furniture must be the same, and we could not go from one company to the other.”