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Minority to investigate $12m spent on Pwalugu Dam
The Minority in Parliament has raised serious concerns about the progress of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam project in the Upper East Region.
They allege a lack of development on the site despite $12 million spent on the project.
Addressing journalists at the site, Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu, John Jinapor said everybody involved in the deal, which has already cost the state $12 million will be investigated and prosecuted.
“So we’ll use every legitimate means, every legal means to retrieve the money and punish those who have caused this financial crime and financial loss to the state,” he said.
His comments come after the Minority leadership on the Mines and Energy Committee of Parliament visited the site of the much talked about $1 billion Pwalugu Multipurpose irrigation dam, which was supposed to be completed this year after being commissioned in 2019.
The Committee leadership led by the ranking member, Hon Jinapor, visited the chief of the village, Kurugu, in the Northeast region and further proceeded to the project site only to be met with an empty land with sold-out chippings and stones that were initially brought in by the contractor.
The supposed communities that were mentioned to have been relocated by the funds released were still at post, and the chiefs said no one had approached him on any relocation.
The components of the project were to include the construction of a Roller Compacted Concrete dam with an elevation of 168 metres above sea level near the Pwalugu Bridge on the White Volta River and with a reservoir covering an area of 262 square kilometres.
Also, a powerhouse consisting of two Kaplan turbines with 60 megawatts of installed capacity and a solar power plant of 50 megawatts.
An irrigation scheme consisting of a 20-metre high water weir and canal network for about 25,000 hectares of land would be installed.
Among the delegation were Hon Edward Bawa MP for Bongo, Deputy National Communication Officer of the NDC, Malik Basintale, Regional Communication Officer of the Upper East, and Jonathan Abdullah among others.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
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Traders, ‘Okada’ riders take over Circle pavement
• Korle-Bu CEO with staff of Nivaansh MediQas
Activities of traders and drug addicts are contributing to make the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Circle) area very uncomfortable and unsafe for commuters.
Day in and out, pedestrians are ‘ejected’ from the pavement created for their safety as traders preferred to sell their wares on that space.
That hinders the free movement of the pedestrians.
The small space left for the pedestrians are also shared with ‘Okada’ riders.
As if these woes are not enough for a commuter on a single day, they also have to navigate carefully to avoid clashes with drug addicts and the mentally challenged.
These people have turned the pavements into their places of abode, covering every inch of space with their wares.
Our photographer, Lizzy Okai, captures some of the unfriendly scenes the authorities must try and deal with to restore sanity to the area.
By Lizzy Okai
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NDC outlines demands before committing to Peace Pact
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has set forth specific conditions that the party insists must be met before considering signing the Peace Pact advocated by the National Peace Council in anticipation of the December 7 elections.
Mr. Nketia expressed scepticism about the effectiveness of past Peace Pacts, highlighting that they had not achieved their intended outcomes, particularly referencing the 2020 elections, during which eight NDC members were allegedly killed by national security operatives without accountability.
During an August 20 meeting with the National Peace Council at the NDC headquarters, Mr. Nketia detailed the certain conditions for the NDC’s participation in the Peace Pact.
The NDC is demanding that the recommendations from the investigation into the violence during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election be fully implemented.
They also want those responsible for election-related violence in the last election to be prosecuted, stressing the importance of justice and prevention.
The party is calling for accountability regarding irregularities in the printing of ballot papers and insists that visible measures be taken to prevent such issues from happening again.
They are also pushing for a thorough investigation into the missing IT equipment from the Electoral Commission’s (EC) warehouse, expressing concerns about the integrity of the EC’s systems and the potential bias of its staff.
Furthermore, the NDC is urging the President to publicly commit to respecting the results of the 2024 elections. Lastly, the party insists that the Peace Pact should be signed by key figures, including the Inspector General of Police, the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, and the National Security Coordinator, before they will consider signing it themselves.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
