Ensure effective use of oil revenue meant for infrastructure … PIAC to govt
The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), has appealed to the government to ensure prudent management of oil revenue meant for infrastructure development across Ghana.
It has also called for value for money spent on projects, to ensure optimum satisfaction for Ghanaians, instead of delaying legacy projects (delayed projects), which could take a lot of time to complete.
Nana Kwaku Dei, a member of the committee, made the call when the group inspected some projects; both under construction and completed, in the Ashanti Region, being funded with petroleum revenue.
He said “Ghana is not a big oil country hence whatever small money that the nation accrues from oil should ensure that there is value for money”.
The team visited Akuakrom in the Sekyere East District of the region, where members inspected a CHPS compound being constructed by De-Geons Investment Ltd.
“We are appealing to the government that if you tackle one project, even if it is oil revenue that you will use to do it, let us use it; apply it judiciously so that we can have value for money,” Nana Dei said.
Rallying the citizenry to be interested in the subject matter, he implored Ghanaians to be vocal about neglected projects.
Nana Dei said: “We are appealing to the citizens of Ghana to also add their voice to what we have been saying that we cannot have legacy projects everywhere, but the small ones we do for other communities, we should make sure we complete them on time so that they can have value”.
The PIAC observed that the said project that was awarded on contract for 12 months in 2020, had stalled and taken over by weeds, though the building had been roofed with window fittings, but had not been plastered.
The team also inspected a completed 3-unit classroom block with ancillary facilities at Wiamoase Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) in the Sekyere South District of the Ashanti Region.
The PIAC member disclosed that “Generally, all projects that have been funded with petroleum revenue is what we have been referring to as co-mingle in the sense that it is not only petroleum revenue that is used to fund those projects.
“For instance, the project was started four years ago and we do not know whether it was part of the co-mingling culture that has been afflicted upon us but that is what we have observed all over the places that we have inspected.
Nana Dei at Akuakrom, said the CHPS compound there was 60 per cent complete, and wondered why the Sekyere East District Assembly has not taken the issue up for authorities to complete the project.
He, however, assured that PIAC would take action on the abandoned health project.
In an interview with Mr Sampson Awuah, the District Engineer for Sekyere East, he attributed the abandonment of the CHPS compound to lack of funds.