Figures released by the Education Ministry indicate that a six-classroom block, in the “Better Ghana” of President Mills, cost between GH¢250,000 and GH¢270,000. A similar facility cost GH¢80,000 under the previous NPP administration in 2008.
Minister of Education, Betty Mould Iddrisu, Wednesday, sought to justify the outrageous cost of building classroom blocks under the Mills administration when she appeared before Parliament to answer questions related to the issue.
According to the Minister, the contract sums were prepared by experts from the Ministry of Education and the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL). She added that the quality of building materials differed in every region and as such the increase in the cost of construction of these classroom units.
But in the view of the minority, the astronomical increase of nearly 200 per cent in the cost of building a 6-unit classroom block since 2008 is not justifiable, especially at a time government spokespersons are trumpeting a fall in interest and inflation rates.
“In 2008, a six classroom unit with an office, staff common room, a store, a toilet facility all attached was at the cost of GH¢84,000. The Hon minister is now telling us here that in the Ashanti Region the average cost is now over GH¢261,000.
“Inflation, we are told, is declining and we have a single digit; we are told the currency is stable and at a point was even appreciating against major currencies. With all these favourable conditions what has resulted in the over 200 per cent increase in the cost of such a facility?” Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, queried Education Minister Betty Mound in Parliament on Wednesday.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was even more disappointed about the fact that a number of the school blocks built at such outrageous cost in the Northern Region had their roofs ripped off during a recent rainstorm.
But Betty Mould Iddrissu insisted the cost of the structures was justified.
“These figures have been prepared by experts; they have been prepared by consultants both at the Ministry of Education and the Government’s AESL (Architectural and Engineering Services Limited). And these are the figures we have,” she argued.
She explained the cost per a six-classroom block depended on the materials used in the construction and the region it is located.
“In the Brong Ahafo it is GHC263,956.84; in the Western Region it is GHC273,58.80 in the Ashanti Region it GHS261,681.35. In the Central Region it is 260,343.30,” she explained.
It is recalled that the New Patriotic Party, a couple of weeks ago, called on the Economic and Organised Crimes Office to investigate what it describes as, “the ridiculous and outrageous over-pricing of contracts under the government of Prof. J.E.A. Mills.”
According to a press release signed by the party’s General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie, “naked corruption” has got so out of hand under the Mills-Mahama administration that Ghana risks bankruptcy.
In calling for criminal investigations in the award of contracts, the NPP said that the average cost of building a typical six-unit classroom block in the country has shot up by over 150% in just two years of President Mills coming into office.
Supporting their call for a probe with facts, the opposition party said, under the Kufuor administration, in 2008, the maximum cost for a similar 6-unit classroom block anywhere in the country was GH¢80,000.
However, in 2010, under President Mills, a 6-unit classroom block cost GH¢222,730 in the Greater Accra Region and GH¢261,000 in the Ashanti Region.
The statement added, “In Aburaman, in the Central Region, where NDC propaganda ace, Allotey Jacobs have been having public bouts with the Regional Minister over the sharing of contracts among cronies, a six-unit classroom block is costing the Ghanaian taxpayer GH¢230,000.”
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