Minority blocks government’s plan to demolish AICC

Minority blocks government’s plan to demolish AICC

The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that the minority in Parliament has blocked the government’s plan to demolish the AICC and construct a new conference center at GHc 1.3 billion.

This plan was under the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

“NDC MPs both at the Foreign Affairs Committee & at plenary last night have effectively scuttled the government’s 2023 plans to demolish the Accra International Conference Centre & construct a new one at a staggering € 116 million (GHS1.3 billion).”

Ablakwa also detailed that the minority at Parliament has blocked the government’s proposal to launch new embassies in Jamaica, Trinidad, Tobago, and Mexico.

Minority blocks government’s plan to demolish AICC

We also successfully blocked proposals to open new Ghanaian embassies in Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago & Mexico. The reasoning Ablakwa gave was that government must not be “pursuing fanciful projects” in these times of hardship when the government is defaulting on its loan obligation and also imposing haircuts on Ghanaians.

“The government cannot be defaulting on its loan obligations & imposing crude haircuts, particularly on pensions for the vulnerable aged & still be pursuing fanciful projects which can be deferred to better economic times in the future.”, he explained.

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has voted against the approval of budget estimates of GH¢80 million for the construction of the National Cathedral for 2023.

The Minority says this follows the failure of the Finance Ministry to account for an amount of GH¢114 million out of the GH¢339 million spent so far on the project.

A member of the Trades and Industry Committee of Parliament, Dr. Dominic Ayine said the Minority would only approve the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Tourism without the allocated funds to the National Cathedral.

Minority blocks government’s plan to demolish AICC

“This afternoon, a joint committee of Youth and Sports, as well as Trades and Industry, met and took the decision by an 11-10 majority to reject the budget estimates of the Ministry of Tourism especially the allocation of GH¢80million for the construction of the National Cathedral.”

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The National Cathedral project has seen a lot of controversies, as many Ghanaians continue to question the prudence of the state financing an edifice that is said to be President Akufo-Addo’s personal pledge to God.

Also, Samuel Ablakwa revealed on his facebook page,

“Congratulations to my gallant NDC MP colleagues on the joint committee of Trade and Sports for defeating the outrageous and sleazy GHS80million Cathedral budgetary allocation by a crunch 11-10 victory a few minutes ago.

Glory be to God for helping us with this sweet victory.”

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