Mr. Boakye said this would provide clarity on the government’s assertion that it saved some GHc5.7 billion from cancelling some contracts, at least within the road sector.

The government has also suggested it has saved huge sums of money by reviewing and terminating some energy agreements.

[contextly_sidebar id=”1j33gxzwKoCfa0yubotBxQl1IkU3g8rw”]Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Boakye said “it makes sense to publish the details so we can interrogate the numbers to be sure that that is what is actually happening. We keep hearing that some deals have been made but no data is available to support it and that I don’t think is right.”

The Minority Spokesperson on Roads and Transport, Kwame Agbodza, had said he doubted the government’s claim, which was made by President Nana Akufo-Addo during his interaction with Ghanaian media members on Wednesday.

Beyond this, as far as the savings are concerned, Mr. Boakye said some of the contracts terminated may have been because contractors failed to meet certain conditions, hence, such contracts cannot be counted as having led to savings.

Such questions underscored the need for more clarity, according to Mr. Boakye, who remarked that “if there is anything that we don’t know, I think it’s alright to just put the data out there so all of us can see.”

Corruption wouldn’t be a surprise

The concerns notwithstanding, Mr. Boakye added that, there was definitely cause to suspect that some inflated contracts were awarded under the Mahama administration.

“Sometimes, when you look at the figures and you look at how contracts are negotiated and how they rushed through the process, it makes you wonder whether everything is above board and we have had the occasion to question many of those agreements… I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an investigation and we establish that some of those contracts were purely based on some corrupt practices that allow such deals to go through.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Back your claims of ‘inflated’ contracts with evidence – ACEP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to its Executive Director, Ben Boakye, West African countries must take the matter of demarcating their boundaries seriously to avert negative consequences on their economies.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ls7n0BTzaz6vQQmR1BgIRInsD8IweeNT”]Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Boakye said disputes over maritime boundaries tend to deter investors who fear they may lose their investments if an unfavorable decision is taken after their dispute.

His comment comes after Ghana won a 3-year-long maritime dispute with its Western neighbours, Ivory Coast in a case where the country could have  lost major oil blocs.

“It is important that countries sign documents and define their borders clearly so that some of these conflicts do not arise. So they are not occasioned when there are discoveries of mineral resources in between countries. That also helps to improve the investment climate because if there are conflicts along borders, you don’t get anybody interested in putting in money. If there is clarity on the borders, that attracts investment,” Ben Boakye said.

He said the West African countries must document their boundaries at the International level, to avoid further conflicts.

Ghana wins ITLOS case

The Special Chamber in a unanimous decision on Saturday September 23, 2017, ruled that there has not been any violation on the part of Ghana on Côte d’Ivoire’s maritime boundary.

It rejected Côte d’Ivoire’s argument that Ghana’s coastal lines were unstable, noting that Ghana has not violated Côte d’Ivoire’s sovereign rights with its oil exploration in the disputed basin.

Justice Boualem Bouguetaia, President of the Special Chamber in reading the judgment, accepted Ghana’s argument of adoption of the equidistance method of delineation of the maritime boundary.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Define all boundaries to restore investor confidence – ACEP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.