High drama surrounds the Saglemi Housing project as South Dayi MP, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, alleges a pre-determined outcome in the selection of a preferred bidder for the project.
Dafeamekpor contends that the touted search for a joint-venture partner is a mere façade, with the overarching narrative pointing to a covert deal between the Akufo-Addo government and a prominent New Patriotic Party (NPP) affiliate.
Taking to social media, Lawyer Dafeamekpor insinuated that the esteemed Saglemi housing initiative, spearheaded by former President John Dramani Mahama, has been quietly relinquished to a politically connected NPP figure through a contrived Public-Private Partnership (PPP) construct.
While refraining from explicitly naming the purported beneficiary, the MP staunchly vowed to thwart the transaction, asserting, “This deal will be shot down as quickly as it was arranged.”
In a strategic move, President Akufo-Addo recently greenlit the Saglemi Negotiation Framework, a blueprint designed to steer negotiations with the triumphant bidder in the government’s quest for a collaborative partner to finalize the housing project.
Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, championed this framework at the behest of the President.
The framework’s essence lies in attributing the value of completed work at Saglemi as the government’s equity while deeming the remaining project costs as the equity contribution of the selected partner within a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established for project culmination.
Notably, the government has already injected a sizable US$200 million into the undertaking. The inception of the Saglemi project dates back to the Mahama administration, envisioned as a pivotal strategy to mitigate the nation’s housing shortfall.
Dafeamekpor reminisces on a pivotal visit to the Saglemi Housing Project in early 2016, where the project stood ready for habitation under the Mahama-led government. Despite the project’s completion, administrative roadblocks delayed its official unveiling before the 2016 elections.
Detailing the project’s lapsed potential, Dafeamekpor noted the meticulous infrastructure and amenities in place, accentuating the project’s readiness to accommodate 1,500 government employees.
However, the narrative took a sinister turn post-elections, with security measures at the project mysteriously withdrawn, culminating in a spree of thefts of high-quality fittings.
In a surprising turn of events, the Akufo-Addo administration pivoted to casting doubt on the project’s completeness under its predecessor, eventually citing financial constraints as a pretext for collaborating with a private entity.
This pivot led to the unveiling of the Saglemi Negotiation Framework and the subsequent solicitation of bids for a partnership, with Dafeamekpor raising suspicion over the preselected private partner’s affiliation with the ruling NPP.
The unfolding saga at Saglemi Housing Project underscores a labyrinthine web of political maneuvering and alleged impropriety, casting a shadow over the project’s future prospects.