The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East Region has expressed worried over the quantum of money said to have been paid for no work done on the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam project.
Speaking in an interview on Breakfast Today on Dreamz FM, Regional Communication Officer Abdallah Jonathan Salifu said the project, which is aimed at reducing poverty and bridging the development gap between the North and South, has become a conduit for siphoning state resources.
This, he said, is a matter of concern considering the numerous developmental needs of the people of the area that are begging for attention.
Abdallah Jonathan noted that the Northern part of the country is extremely deprived and thus, the initiation of such projects to uplift the lives of the people.
He said his party, therefore, finds it troubling that the project is now being used as conduit for allegedly stealing state resources.
“By all standards, everybody knows that we are the poorest. And it’s for this reason that successive governments have tried in their own ways to see whether if they can bridge the gap between the North and the South. That’s not in dispute,” he stated.
“So when you see monumental projects that could change the face of Northern Ghana being used as a conduit for siphoning money, you have every right to be worried and that’s why I am worried. That’s why the NDC and many Ghanaians are worried”.
Findings of the 20224 Auditor-General report reveal that about $11.9 million was disbursed as “final payment” for the Pwalugu Irrigation Project.
This came to light at the Public Accounts Committee sitting on April 9, 2024 when the committee sought to find out from the Bank of Ghana, which effected the payment, the basis for such expenditure since no work has been done at the project site.
The revelation has since sparked public concern over the appropriateness of the payment.
