The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, is demanding further accountability from the Central Bank over its new headquarters building in Accra.
Mr Ayariga, who had been vocal in his demand for answers during the NDC’s time in opposition, appeared dissatisfied with the explanations and responses from the new Governor and his team when they appeared before Parliament.
Among other things, he questioned why furniture and furnishing at the new head office alone cost $11 million.
His demand for accountability follows revelations made by the new Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama, in Parliament on Wednesday, March 5.
“How many workers are in the building that it will cost the republic of Ghana $11 million to buy chairs for them to sit?” he asked.
In his statement on the floor, Mr Ayariga questioned why such a large sum was allocated to furnish the new building, given the significant amount already spent on other aspects of the project.
“We want to know, how many workers, how many workers are in the building, for it to cost us $11 million to buy chairs for them to sit”, he reiterated.
He noted that, with the total cost of the facility reaching $261.8 million, the $11 million for furniture alone raised concerns, particularly in light of the country’s current economic challenges.
Dr Asiama had disclosed in Parliament that the $11 million was part of a broader expenditure on additional facilities for the new head office, which also included $8.6 million for the Integrated Communication and Computing (ICC) systems, $15.8 million for security systems, and $48.3 million in taxes and levies associated with the construction.
While these costs were explained as necessary for modernising the Bank of Ghana’s operations, Mr Ayariga’s request for further clarification underscores growing scrutiny over the management of state funds, particularly in the context of public sector spending.
Mr Ayaria emphasised the need to give a detailed explanation from the previous leadership of the bank, demanding transparency over the procurement process for the furniture and other related costs.
Source: myjoyonline.com