Pro-opposition pressure group, Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), wants government to reduce the cost being quoted for the dredging of the Odaw River and the construction of drains among others. The group warned they will be forced to demonstrate against the government if their demands are not met.
General Secretary of AFAG, Arnold Boateng, made this known after the group paid a visit to the Odaw River on Tuesday, where the dredging is underway.
[contextly_sidebar id=”3ipoCDl809NFBE9KalbTcmc57jeXh0Eq”]Comparing the cost of the Conti project to the cost of a similar one on the river Niger, Mr. Boateng said “a similar project on the river Niger covers over 75km with cities and green zones being constructed. That project cost as low as $200 million. So AFAG does not understand why less than 10km dredging operation with virtually no flowing river will cost the taxpayers more than $600 million.”
He described the cost of the dredging project as “a rip-off” and therefore called on the government “to abrogate it” or they (AFAG) will get Ghanaians “to the streets to put a stop to this rip-off of our scarce resources.”
Government signed a $660 million contract with the Conti Group of Companies of the United States of America in what has been termed the Conti Project.
Under the project, the Odaw River, the Lavender Hill and a number of storm drains were to be desilted and built to prevent the perennial flooding in the city.
Mr. Arnold Boateng was quick to add that AFAG was not against the dredging of the river.
He said “let me put on record that AFAG is not against the dredging of the Odaw River. We support it 100 percent in principle, what we are against is the cost of the project.”
He called for the involvement of local professionals in the project.
“We suggest the Ghana Institute of Engineers or any other professional grouping be engaged to help solve this vicious and emotionally wrecking cycle. We can do it locally at a lesser cost” he said.
In 2015, over 140 Ghanaians perished through a twin disaster of fire and flooding partly caused by the overflow of the Odaw River near the Kwame Nkrumah circle.
This led to the reassurance by government to fully dredge the Odaw River to avert any such disaster in the future.
Although Citi News checks reveal work is ongoing at the site, Mr. Boateng said there is “virtually nothing to show” after the promise was made.
He bemoaned the “slow pace” of dredging.
He indicated that “AFAG shall engage various stakeholders in the field to see how best we can use local knowledge to solve the mystery behind what is becoming an annual ritual”.
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By Magdalene Teiko Larnyoh/citifmonline.com/Ghana