EXPOSED: John Mahama's gov’t spent GHc5m to refurbish Bole guest house

Manager of the COCOBOD CEO’s office, Fiifi Boafo, has disclosed that GHc 5 million from COCOBOD’s account was spent by the John Mahama's  government, to refurbish and erect new facilities at the Bole guest house.

His comments follow the reactions by the office of former president refuting claims that the John Mahama initiated the construction of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana Research Station Guest House in his hometown of Bole, with COCBOD funds, for his personal pleasure. Interdict

A statement signed by Joyce Bawa Mogtari, aide to John Mahama, clarified that the guest house has been in existence since 1975, and as a guest house, it provides accommodation services to officials of COCOBOD and others.

But reacting to the Statement from the office of the former president on Citi FM,  Fiifi Boafo quizzed if the past government would describe the renovation at a cost of GHc 5 million as prudent.

“Is she [Joyce Bawa Mogtari] telling us that GHc5 million was used to refurbish an old building? Does she call that prudent use of cocoa money?”

“Are they telling us that putting up that facility with Jacuzzis in Bole was a prudent use of the cocoa farmers’ money,” he questioned further.

Mr. Boafo noted that COCOBOD was going to issue an official statement on the matter of the guest house at Bole, and added that the “incessant attacks” from the Minority in Parliament was pushing the current COCOBOD administration to come out “and tell the public that the Ghana COCOBOD as you see it is in a complete mess.”

NDC MPs accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of shortchanging farmers by refusing to increase the cocoa producer price.

NDC MP, Sampson Ahi, said before exiting power in January 2017, the NDC left more than $400 million in revenue from cocoa.

They also argued that the foundation laid by the past NDC government was good enough for an increase in the producer price from the current ¢475 per bag to a higher one.

However, addressing Journalist at a press conference to respond to allegations of mismanagement of COCOBOD by the Minority in Parliament, Boahen Aidoo, said the immediate past administration of COCOBOD led by Stephen Opuni, rather misappropriated millions of cocoa funds on frivolous activities.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana COCOBOD, Joseph Boahene Aidoo, said government is investigating the withdrawal of $400 million cedis out of the $1.8 billion cocoa syndicated loan secured for the 2016/2017 crop season, between December 20th and January 2017, when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, had already lost the 2016 elections and were on their way out of office.

The COCOBOD CEO says Ghanaians will soon know the outcome of their investigations into that transaction.

 

primenewsghana.com/Ghana News