We wish to set the records straight on the matter regarding the cost and building plans for basic schools in Ghana. The components of a standard 6 Classroom Unit has always been as follows:
• 6 Classrooms
• A Head-teacher’s Office and Store
• A General Store
• A Library
• A Teachers Rest Room
The maximum cost of which, in 2008, was GH¢78,000.
The other components, in addition to the above, are a toilet and urinal, constructed separately at the maximum cost of GH¢10,000. Thus, under the NPP, the highest, acceptable estimate for the construction of a basic six-unit classroom block anywhere in Ghana was GH¢88,000.
By 2010, this had shot up to GH¢260,000 in some cases, more than 150% rise, in spite of the acclaimed single digit inflation achievements of the Mills-Mahama government. On top of that, over 90% of these contracts were awarded through sole-sourcing, in flagrant abuse of the Public Procurement Act.
In his struggle to explain this today on radio, a Deputy Minister of Information, Baba Jamal (who was the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister at the time that highly inflated contracts were given for the construction of school facilities), claimed that the NDC has added more facilities to the construction of school projects, which have led to the 150% increase in contract price.
Unfortunate for him, the Deputy Minister, when asked to list those additional facilities ended up mentioning Library, Office, Rest Room and Storerooms.
We want to remind the Deputy Minister that the facilities he mentioned as new, as we have already indicated above, have always been among the components to any basic six-unit classroom block project.
The Deputy Minister’s false claim was only manufactured to deceive Ghanaians, whose only crime is to call for probity and accountability in the use of their financial resources by the Government.
No new component has been added by the NDC to require an additional GH¢180,000 or so inflation in the construction cost of a 6-unit classroom block. The components have not changed; it is only the cost that has changed under the NDC.
We will repeat our call for the EOCO to investigate this matter. We shall also urge the media to further investigate these alarming instances of naked corruption under President J. E. A Mills, since the lies, incompetence and corruption of the NDC are impoverishing Ghanaians.
…………Signed…………..
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