Project abandonment is a specialty of Akufo-Addo government – Mahama insists
John Mahama at a meeting with President Akufo-Addo
• John Mahama has accused the Akufo-Addo government of abandoning projects
Read full article• He says no previous government has acted as the current government
• Mahama says when he comes to power, projects will be continued
Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that the phenomenon of abandoning projects started by previous administrations was a specialty of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government.
He stated last week in an interview on Power FM / TV XYZ that none of the previous governments under the Fourth Republican Constitution had resorted to such tactics.
“It is only under this government, under Nana Addo’s government that we are seeing this. Since Rawlings’ era did you hear that Kufuor had abandoned any projects of the Rawlings era?
“All contractors continued working, those who finished did and others had their contracts terminated etc. When Kufuor left and Atta Mills came, did we hear anything like that? We did not. It is only this government so media people should put the blame where it matters. It is happening now under this government.”
He continued: “I have pledged not to abandon any projects when we come to power because when the plaudits come, they go to the one who started and the one who completed it.”
He cited the case of the Bui dam project, explaining that the Rawlings government birthed its conception, Kufuor and Mills administrations secured funding and works began. He stressed that it was for this reason that he invited the then ex-president Kufuor to be part of the inauguration ceremony when he was President.
“But this government would rather abandon projects because the credit will go to Mahama so they have opted to abandon lots of projects. Look at the hospitals, the schools are not as painful as the hospitals. Roofs have been destroyed by rains and facilities are rotting away. I mean, it is not Mahama’s money, it is our commonwealth,” he added.
His views were on the back of recent reports about E-block projects started under his government but left uncompleted five years on.
A comment by the Aflao Paramount chief received a presidential response that was slammed as insensitive and defended by pro-government persons.
