Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye, former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku
•Dr Oko-Boye has said a harbour cannot be built in Cape Coast
• He says a landing site can rather be constructed which the president is committed to
•He adds that the promise stated in the manifesto was captured wrongly
Former Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency, Dr Bernard Oko-Boye, has said it is unrealistic to construct a harbour in Cape Coast.
According to him, a landing site can be constructed in Cape Coast and not a harbour.
Speaking on TV3’s big issues he believes there was a mistake in capturing the party’s manifesto which has created some misunderstanding.
“…It is really unrealistic to have the kind of harbour we have in Takoradi in Cape Coast. Anything you do to help the fisher folks will amount to the landing beach. We will not say it’s zero in Cape Coast, we are still committed to having a structure on the coast which is a landing beach as for that one the president reaffirmed. I can’t contend you if you say what in the manifesto is not the same. I don’t believe that the president deliberately will tell you I want to build a harbour so your expectation goes high and we really know that it’s a landing beach I don’t believe that is the case. If there is anything I think we were not careful with the capturing.”
His clarification is in line with mixed reactions by Ghanaians after the president said he never promised to build a harbour in the region but he is committed to constructing a landing beach.
Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was addressing the party members in August 2020 said they will establish an airport, harbour to boost tourism and economic activities.
“We will accelerate our investments in roads, railways, and ports. And for the people of Cape Coast, I have good news for you. We are building a new harbour in Cape Coast and a new airport in Cape Coast. It is very critical that we do that.
“An airport makes a lot of sense in Cape Coast. It’s a real tourism hub. Between Greater Accra and Kumasi and Cape Coast, you have a triangle that is really a hub of economic activities. It is a major growth pole If we put an airport there to drive infrastructural growth”, he promised while reading excerpts of the manifesto.
Dr Oko-Boye also said there is a deliberate attempt by some people to create an impression that there is confusion when there is not any.
“It’s deliberately orchestrated by people to create an impression there is confusion. The president said I never promised. As in, he never stood anywhere to say I will build a harbour. I’m talking about Akufo-Addo then someone says that but Bawumia said it. Yes it’s true Bawumia said it but if you had interviewed Bawumia wouldn’t say I never said it,” He said on TV3