A gigantic multi-billion cedis state-of-the-art mansion put up by Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, former Minister for Information and National Orientation under the Kufuor regimen is stirring controversy and outrage over the building’s source of funding.
Overlooking the Mankessim-Cape Coast stretch of the highway, the six-bedroom mighty edifice at Kromantse, Asamoah Boateng’s hometown has been estimated by valuers to cost between 3.5 and 4 billion old cedis. What sent tongues wagging ever since the white painted modern storey building was completed is its source of funding and the breath neck speed with which it was completed.
According to a family source, the cost of the furnishings in the mansion alone could build another storey-building as every nook and cranny of the house is tiled with expensive high-quality-imported tiles from the United Kingdom and other expensive upholstery and decorative lights and panels including a glass-fitted automatic sliding door among others. Having occupied a space the size of the Banquet hall, the former minister’s house is the talk of the town coming in the heels of allegations of corruption and alleged misappropriation of funds of which he is presently facing a court action with respect to a contract he awarded a construction firm, Plexiform, when he was in office.
Only recently, a pro-democracy and economic think tank, the Ghana Development Centre (GHDC) also called for the prosecution of the former Information Minister and two of her former Deputy Ministers for Finance and Economic Planning, over the misapplication of a total of six million Ghana Cedis (GH¢6,000,000.00) from the Consolidated Fund between April and October 2008.
According to the group, the Ministry of Information & National Orientation under Messrs Oboshie Sai Cofie and Stephen Asamoah Boateng has not been able to explain how the total amount of GH¢6m including the TOR debt fund of GH1.5m was expended. At the centre of the last outrage is a youth group in the Mfansteman District which has renewed calls for government to thoroughly investigate how over GH¢6m including the TOR debt of over GH1.5milion was expended to bring to book those found guilty of dissipating state funds. The group has also vowed to ensure that he does not represent them in parliament again should he decide to contest for the parliamentary seat next year.
The group which claimed they strongly suspect the former Minister of Information, Asamoah Boateng of amassing wealth during his tenure of office as a minister of state questioned how he was able to put up a mansion within a short spate of time.
According to them, the mansion which was a family house was demolished and rebuilt within a period of one year after he became a minister of state and wondered why for over ten years he was abroad he was unable to rebuild the family house until he became a minister. Attempts to get the minister to respond to the numerous allegations proved futile as he failed to pick the calls.