The battle lines have clearly been drawn with both the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) taking entrenched positions over the issue of whether the implementation of the Bui Hydro Project includes funding and construction of a Bui City Development Project.
The airwaves of Accra, precisely on the 104.3 frequency dial on Tuesday morning, was nearly turned into a shouting match with Kwami Sefa Kayi caught in the middle of it during the airing of Kokrokoo, PeaceFM’s flagship programme.
The verbal spat was between First Vice Chairman of the NPP and former CEO of the Bui Dam Authority (BDA), Mr. Fred Oware, and General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, aka, General Mosquito.
Mr. Fred Oware was reacting to claims by the NDC General Sec that when the NPP was exiting office in 2008, no documentation on the project nor even Board Minutes were left for the current Board and Management to continue with the Bui City development concept.
Sharply disputing these assertions, the former Bui Dam Authority CEO said his “handing over” notes included materials and project files depicting the project concept, methodologies, work done, contacts made as well as funding and the road map to completion.
“He has not taken pains to study the handing over note and other documents I left. If he has really read them like he claims, he would not be talking like this….,” the former Bui Dam Authority CEO said.
But the NDC Chief Scribe maintained there was no record of any such information and no funds whatsoever were made available either as part of the Hydro Project Funds or other financial arrangements initiated for the Bui City Project. Consequently, he suggested that both the former CEO of the BDA and ex-President Kufuor be made to appear before a body for questioning to ascertain the veracity of his (Oware’s) claims.
“…they have splashed billboards across the country indicating that they were going to construct a Bui City that will look like Hong Kong with universities and many more. However, that seems not to be the case. There are only pictures of the Bui Dam…There is nothing like a Bui City or even its location, not to talk of funding…If it is about resettlement, we have finished with it already. If that is what they call Bui City, then it is different from the pictures they showed us….they are all castles in the air. There is nothing like that, it’s clearly a mirage,” he said.
With emotions going a notch higher and the back and forth exchanges becoming heated, both parties began labeling each other a liar, prompting the host, Kwami Sefa Kayi to cut in and appeal for sanity.
Mr Oware promised to make available to the host copies of relevant documents and his handing over notes for his personal perusal.
In a related development, the current Chief Executive Officer of the Bui Dam Authority, Mr. Jabesh Amissah-Arthur, has confirmed that the handing over note included the status of the project (Dam). Regarding the Bui City Project, he however, said that it only contained an artist’s impression.
“…there were no drawings or pictures of the Bui City…absolutely nothing, there was no funding attached to it…there is no document on funding,” he added.