Deputy Minister for Information, Pius Enam Hadzide has stated that attempts by the opposition NDC to sabotage the $2 billion Infrastructure deal are in bad faith and disappointing.
According to the Deputy Minister, there are several mechanisms the Minority can adopt if they disagree with Government’s decision to batter our natural resources for US$2 billion worth of Infrastructure and not necessarily beg, drag and instigate the World Bank against the Akufo-Addo Government.
“The US$2 billion Infrastructure Deal was sent to parliament, reviewed and debated by both sides of the house. Consistently, we have explained and proven that the Sinohydro deal can’t be a loan and it won’t add to our debt. The NDC is just demonstrating their dislike and hatred for what is good and right for this country, they don’t have a case†he said.
He indicated that NDC’s attempt is targeted at stopping Government from building 90 bridges across the country, funding the Tamale Interchange at ‘Point7, funding a New Ultramodern National Psychiatric Hospital, extension of Railway Line to Paga, construction of 10 Ten industrial parks, construction of 25,000 houses for the security services, construction of 100,000 social housing units among several others.
Background
The Minority, in a letter written to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has asked the international body to stop the Akufo-Addo government from securing a Chinese facility to embark on a robust infrastructural development in the country.
In a letter written on 10th August 2018 and signed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the opposition NDC opined that under the current agreement with the IMF and the fact that an agreement with such a quantum of money could adversely affect our debt stock, the IMF should, as a matter of urgency, stop the Akufo-Addo government from going into this agreement with the Chinese entity.
Haruna Iddrisu addressed the letter to Natalia Koloadina, resident representative for Ghana of the IMF.
The Akufo-Addo led-Government has entered a barter agreement with the Chinese Government by securing $2 billion in exchange for Ghana's bauxite. Dubbed the Infrastructure for Bauxite barter agreement, Ghana is to receive US$2 billion while using bauxite/alumina/aluminium to pay for the amount received. The deal is with Sinohydro of China.
The first tranche of US$500 million will cover a significant number of roads across all the ten regions. Some road networks that will see construction when the first tranche of the money comes are; PTC Interchange, Takoradi, Tamale Interchange, New Abirem-Ofoase-Akim Oda road, Atebubu-Kwame Danso-Kojokrom road, Accra City roads, Kumasi City roads, Jasikan-Dodo Peppesu-Nkwanta road, Tutulega-Sandema-Wiase road, Lawra-Han-Tumu road and Cape Coast City roads.