Saglemi Housing Project Saga: Atta Akyea blames “Wayward Chief Director” for Authorizing

Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea has denied allegations by the minority caucus in parliament that he has made some financial commitments to contractors of the Saglemi Housing project.

According to him the alleged authorization for the payment of an amount of $1.6m to the contractor in the centre of the Housing saga can certainly not come from him. He however suspect the chief director of his ministry for which he is planning to sanction.

In an interview with this Reporter, Atta Akyea said as far as his memories can serve him, he has never put his hand (signature) under any document authorizing payment of $1.6m to contractors who are deeply involved in a scandal his outfit is pursuing.

“It’s never true that I have authorized any payment. No, I haven’t and will not sign for anything which I suspect to be fishy.

“I am the spending officer and I tell you I have not spent a dime on the Saglemi Housing project which is currently under investigation,” the Minister of Works and Housing stated.

He however, assured Ghanaians that whoever authorized the alleged payment of $1.6 million will be severely dealt with, be it the chief director or any other person. “No chief director has the prerogative to authorize payment. That right is solely for the minister,” he noted,

When the former deputy minister of works and housing, and the Member of Parliament for the Bodi Constituency, Sampson Ahi who made the allegation was reached via phone he maintained his earlier position that the current Works and Housing minister has authorized for some payments.

“Under his watch as a minister, he honoured certificates raised by the consultants of the project and payment of $1.6 million was made to the contractor,” he said.

“If Atta Akyea wants Ghanaians to believe what he is saying that a chief director may have honoured those certificates and not him, then what is he doing as a minister at the Works and Housing ministry,” the MP for Bodi inquired rhetorically.

By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH