I was not part of the process for construction of new BoG head office - Ato Forson

Minority Leader in Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson, has denied claims that he was part of the Bank of Ghana-led board that began the process towards the construction of a new headquarters building.

In a press release, he maintained that it is reckless for the central bank to think of building a new head office at a time when it has recorded a GH¢60.8 billion loss and negative equity of GH¢55.1 billion.

He stressed that Ghanaians were suffering and urgent measures needed to be put in place to lessen the economic burden.

“For the record, I was not part of the processes for the construction of this new Head Office building, and the Bank of Ghana Board never began such processes for the construction of this new Head Office building at Ridge. We maintain that the decision by the current Bank of Ghana Management and Board to construct an ultra-modern Head Office building at a time when the Bank of Ghana has recorded a loss of GhS60.8 billion and a negative equity of GHS55.1 billion; at a time when the ordinary Ghanaian is struggling to make ends meet, is a reckless and misplaced priority,” Cassiel Ato Forson said.

He added that, “No attempt at equalisation can redeem the historical collapse and mismanagement of the Bank of Ghana by this Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government, alongside Governor Addison and his management. The countdown to the resignation of the Governor and his deputies is still on.”

On Saturday, August 12, 2023, the Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party, Richard Ahiagbah while speaking on Joy News' News File show and monitored by GhanaWeb alleged that the Minority Leader in Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson was part of the Bank of Ghana-led Board that began the process towards the construction of a new headquarters building.

He noted that Cassiel Ato Forson who was serving on the Banks' board as Deputy Finance Minister under the Mahama-led administration, was part of the negotiations with an individual to purchase the land for the purpose at a cost of $2.5 million per acre situated around Achimota forest.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Ghana has said their current building was no longer fit for purpose, hence, the need for a new office building.

It also said a structural integrity assessment conducted by the BoG revealed that the current head office building built in the early 1960s could not stand any major earth tremors.

SA/NOQ

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