A sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of the controversial new parliamentary chamber complex was scheduled for June 2019.
The ceremony was supposed to have been honoured by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
This is according to a letter sighted by citinewsroom.com that invited the President as the Special Guest of Honour at the event.
The letter signed by the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Michael Oquaye indicated that the ceremony was to be done in the last week of June 2019, subject to the President’s convenience and confirmation.
The letter said the aim of the project “is to overcome the capacity challenges with the current Chamber which is operating at its optimal seating capacity now.”
The Speaker added that the new building complex “will provide a building suitable for Parliamentary duties, enhanced physical and electronic security” for Members of Parliament and Staff of Parliament to “ensure more efficiency in legislative business.”
Giving an update on what level the project has gotten to, the Speaker told the President, in the letter, that, preparation of detailed designed was being done.
He said, “preparation of Bills of Quantities as well as Value for Money check arrangements are underway” and an application will subsequently be made to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
Per the letter, the government had already made a budgetary allocation towards it.
Executive hasn’t been engaged on new Parliamentary building – Oppong Nkrumah
The Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah in an earlier interview said he was not aware that the Executive has been engaged on the matter and said he believes that in due time all relevant arms of government will be informed about it since plans for the construction has not been firmed up.
“They will need to go through their processes, come to a certain decision and if they are required to inform any other arm of government they will so do. From the executive perspective, I am not even aware that even the executive has been engaged on this. Even the parliamentary service board is yet to engage members of Parliament.”
“I understand it is only the leadership they have spoken to. Like you hear MPs talk about it, it is not a popular something even for MPs so I am sure you will hear what the MPs will say about it let alone if they choose to engage whether the judiciary or the executive about it.”
The Majority Leader, at a press conference to clarify issues concerning the construction following public uproar, also said plans for the construction had not been completed yet.
