Oslo Chancellery Property Controversy: Minority saved $4.5m for Ghana – Ablakwa

Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Tongu constituency, and the minority spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said that the minority’s oversight duties saved Ghana from losing over $4.5 million when the current government wanted to secure a property in Oslo, Norway to be used as a chancery.

The MP who led the minority’s charge against the Government’s plan to procure the property said, their action “protected the public purse” since the government boycotted the idea.

Ablakwa took to social media on Tuesday, to express “victory” for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in successfully preventing a deal which would have exploited the public purse.

He noted that the property which was being sold to Ghana at $12.2 million is now selling at $7.4 million, indicating a huge reduction.

“The controversial property which Ghana had taken steps to purchase in 2018 for $12,218,487.13 but for the vigilance of the NDC minority in parliament has now been re-advertised on the Norwegian property market following Ghana Government’s withdrawal from the transaction.

“Strangely, this time round the property is selling for only $7,469,140.00. A hefty reduction by $3,753,706.00 at today’s exchange.”

Ablakwa reiterated that this is a victory for “the kind of parliamentary oversight” and appealed to the president to “personally verify these latest facts (about the deal) while in Oslo”

Source: ghananewsonline.com.gh