The company awarded the contract for the construction of the 10,000-seater capacity at New Edubiase in Ashanti Region has denied receiving a sum of GH¢1.9million in cash from former Youth and Sports Minister, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye.
[contextly_sidebar id=”fO2J9QeOLKsUlHIVEUdmwFT0GC5gkvEd”]According to him, for the work he had done so far, he was yet to receive any money from the government.
The CEO of the company, Nurudeen Shakdeen in an interview on Eyewitness News said the project, which is in two phases, is still in the first phase where the project has stalled.
“I did not receive a cash of GHS1.9 million from Nii Lante Vandepuye. I did not receive that amount of money. It is an administrative issue…. The [cost of the] first phase is over GHS 5 million,” he said.
Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah revealed that his Ministry cannot trace the source of funding for the New Edubiase Sports Stadium.
Former President John Mahama cut sod for the construction of the 10,000 seater stadium back in 2016, but the project has since been left unattended, although the current government promised to complete the construction.
According to the Sports Minister Asiamah, the funding for the project was not captured in the budget for 2015 and 2016, and there is no evidence of sponsorship for the project.
Asiamah went on to disclose that a payment amount of one million, six hundred and fifty thousand, two hundred and seventy-one Ghana Cedis (GH₵1,650,271.00) had been received in cash by the construction company in charge of the project, Shakdeen Limited from the then Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuye.
Earlier this year, Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority, Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, accused former Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye of concealing payments he made to Shakdeen Limited for the construction of the stadium
The matter has been referred to the National Security for investigation regarding the source of funding.
But the Chief Executive Officer of the construction firm in his reaction on Eyewitness News said although he is ready to continue the project, he has not been given clearance to resume work.
“It is about funding. As a businessman, I have worked to that extent and I have raised the certificate, they are supposed to pay me so that I can move on [but] as he [Isaac Asiamah] came to office, he didn’t sit me down to tell me to maneuver to find the ways and means to continue the project. I have been to his office more than 30 times. If the certificate has been cleared, I can empower myself to hit the ground running again. I am expecting that certificate, if they clear me, then I can proceed,” he said.
“They are in government, and I am a businessman, if they call on me to come for my money, I will, I am frustrated.”
While describing the Minister’s claims as an attempt to tarnish his company’s image, Shakdeen said the delay in the completion of the project is taking a toll on him financially.
When you go to the site, my equipment is still on the site. I pay my security day and night. All these things are going against me, I am not working now,” he said
“The Ministry is trying to damage the image of my company. I have never received any such amount. I never received a cedi from Nii Lante Vandepuye,” he added.
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By: Jonas Nyabor | citinewsroom.com | Ghama
