Mahama blew $260m on Circle Dubai; we did 4 interchanges with $289m – Bawumia
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has said at a virtual town hall meeting held in Accra at the College of Physicians and Surgeons on Tuesday, 18 August 2020 that whereas the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) expended $260 million on the Kwame Nkrumah Circle interchange alone, the AkufoAddo government has been able to construct four interchanges at nearly the same amount.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s important to note that the cost of the Tema, Tamale, Pokuase and Obetsebi Lamptey Interchanges is USD289 million while the cost of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange was constructed at USD260 million.
“So, you have four major Interchanges – Tema, Tamale, Pokuase and Obetsebi Lamptey for USD289 million and one Kwame Nkrumah Circle for USD260 million.
“I will leave that for you to ponder,” Dr Bawumia said.
Touching on water and sanitation infrastructure, Dr Bawumia said massive investments have also taken place there.
Various interventions, he said, have been made, including the Greater Accra Metropolitan Water and Sanitation Project, Upper East Water Supply Project, Sustainable Rural Water Supply Project, and the Toilet For All project continue to yield results.
“Over 5,498 communities have been declared Open Defecation-Free. Even more interesting is the fact that no cholera cases have been recorded, thus, far,” he added.
He said to spur economic growth, hundreds of modern markets have also been constructed, while a total of 183 companies, 61 of which are existing companies while 122 are new, are benefitting from the One District-One Factory initiative.
“There have also been various infrastructure support for industrial parks and special economic zones across the country including Dawa, Apolonia, Tema Free Zones enclave among others.
Using a mix of infrastructural examples that cover digital, energy, education, security, railways, sports, housing, sea defence and airports sectors, Vice President Bawumia dared the opposition to “show us what they accomplished by way of infrastructure initiated in their first term in office”.
“This is because virtually all the key projects they like to point to were completed in their second term of office.
“We are, however, happy to compare our three-and-a-half-year record with their 8-year record. The data will show that the infrastructure we have provided in many districts over just three and a half years surpasses what they provided in 8 years. We have done more while actually spending less as a percentage of GDP because of value for money.
“Also, contrary to the propaganda, the evidence is that we have also completed or working to complete many projects that our government inherited.
“I will like to note that we are not just building infrastructure, we are building a nation. We are building all this infrastructure while staying committed to our social contract to providing free senior high school education, creating jobs, transforming agriculture, industrialising the economy, sustaining the national health insurance scheme, digitising the economy, ensuring the public safety of Ghanaians, and keeping the lights on. We still have much more to do.
“The future is bright if we stay the course. That is why we are asking the good people of Ghana to give Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP “four more to do more for you”.
