Manasseh demands answers on KIA charismas expenditure
Over GH¢100,000.00 spent on KIA Christmas decoration
Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has stated that there may be the need for a touch screen analysis of how and why the Ghana Airports Company Limited, GACL, spent over 100,000 cedis for Christmas decor at the Kotoka International Airport, KIA.
A number of opposition National Democratic Congress activists on January 6 started circulating a photo and cost of one of the Christmas Trees stationed at the departure hall of KIA's Terminal Three.
Barely 24-hours later, GACL board chair Paul Adom-Otchere, issued a statement justifying the amount spent on the tree and other decorations at KIA for the 2021 yuletide.
He confirmed in a Facebook post that the state company indeed spent some GH¢118,000.00 on Christmas trees and decorations justifying the amount as the lowest spent by the state company for the same purpose since 2006.
As part of his reaction to the development in a Facebook post, Manasseh wrote:
“And it's only fair that we expect a touch screen analysis of what exactly this 84,000 cedis was used for. The services of the first company were named in houseboy's response, but he only said, 'The other inspirations were provided by Favors and Arts for a total cost of GH¢84,000.' We should also be told why the company named the board chairman in the bill."
The reference to "touchscreen analysis" is likely a slight mockery of Adom-Otchere, who has often delivered touchscreen analysis on issues on his bi-weekly programme, Good Evening Ghana, which airs on Metro TV.
The programme has yet to air this year.
Parts of Adom-Otchere's response to the issues raised read: “Two separate suppliers were invited to submit bids. The bids were discussed and discounts obtained. (We are grateful to Jandel Limited and Favors and Arts) The beautiful Christmas tree standing at Terminal 3 and 3 others altogether cost GH¢34,000, which was graciously provided by Jandel Limited at a heavy discount. (We thank Jandel Limited)."
In the case of Favors and Arts, the board chair said the company was paid GH¢84,000 out of which GH¢50,000 was obtained via sponsorship.
“The other inspirations were provided by Favors and Arts for a total cost of GH¢84,000 out of which GH¢50,000 was obtained via sponsorship,” he added.
Details of the invoice prepared by Favor and Arts in the name of the board chair as sighted by GhanaWeb indicate the company supplied and installed four Christmas Chandeliers with lights at a unit cost of GH¢21,000 each, bringing the total cost to GH¢49,000.
GACL was further billed GH¢3,500 for “Transportation/Scaffold” as well as GH¢3,000 for “Assembling/Dissembling” with the total cost for both making GH¢6,500.
This brought the entire cost for the services and supplies of both Jandel Limited and Favors Arts to GH¢124,500.00.
Manasseh Azure Awuni (left) and Paul Adom-Otchere