A Document from the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited, the engineering company working on the Vice Presidential Villa, has confirmed the $13.9 million figure quoted by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia as the actual figure for the project.
The document indicates that a total of $8,179,138.95 has been spent already on the project, with an outstanding amount of $5,789,113.71 left to be paid for the completion of the project.
Per the document, the total cost of the project is $13,968,252.66, covering the cost of stone facing works, hard wood panel doors, external electrification works, sculpture and emblems.
The revelation by the AESL document exposes the blatant lies and denial by operatives of the opposition NDC on the actual cost of the vice presidential complex.
Vice President Bawumia last week appeared to have triggered some controversy when he revealed at a forum that the former government had begun building the villa at the cost of $13.9 million.
He could not fathom why any government would sink that amount into such project at a time the country was reeling under dire economic challenges.
He wondered: "Are the gates made of gold?" He further stated that had the contract been awarded on competitive basis, the cost of the project would have, perhaps, have been far lower.
But the NDC vehemently rejected the Vice President Bawumia’s claim and accused him of petty politicking.
Former presidential staffer Clement Apaak suggested that the total cost of the project was rather $5.9 million, far lower than what had been put out by the Vice President.
However, the AESL document, dated January 2016, titled "Consultancy services for the administration and supervision of construction works for the official residence for the vice president..." actually confirms the assertion by the vice president.
It gives the breakdown of the project cost. For instance, an amount of USD676, 300 is the cost for the preliminaries or the preparatory stage of the construction, with USD100.000, USD13.695.72 being the estimated costs for demolition and basement respectively of the villa.
Ground floor alone, according to the document, is costing the country USD2,342,325,57, while the cost of first and second floors is draining the country's coffers a whooping USD¢1.6 million.
Again, lift shaft, staircase, out house, fence wall and gate houses, office for the 2nd Lady, Lounge and sundries which are part of the project cost USD 5,901,568.4429.
The Director of Communications of the NPP, Nana Akomea, last Saturday, on Joy fm's news file programme, also showed a document to back the claim of the vice president.
He insisted stated that the document "incontrovertibly substantiates the initial claim made by Bawumia", adding that the NDC cannot be trusted.
Source: The New Statesman
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This needs a thorough investigation, what if Nana Akomea is lying and the document is fake, do we have to take it hook and sinker any of the figures because it is NDC or NPP saying.. All the institutions involved are available when not do a a thorough investigation Let us not be too quick to judge
Richard, assuming not accepting though the documents are FAKE. How do you reconcile the Apaak figures and that of asiedu Nketia.$5.9m and $3.6m respectively?????????????????
The construction of a building on the foundation of lies will never stand and perhaps this is just one of such projects. This administration needs the Eagles eyes to fish for more rotten deals by the NDC administration.
Oh ndc when at all will you say the truth? Now you dey there. You see the truth has come out? These babies with sharp teeth will not keep mute. What a shame NDC
Well if no one is prosecuted, then I suggest the goat and chicken ***barred word*** should be left alone. Never in our wildest dream have we had such criminals managing Ghana. Mahama has a track record of being lazy. His calm demeanor portrays him as a smart and intelligent man, but we can all a test to the fact that he hasn't got it up there. Allowing clowns who could otherwise not manage their homes, now rapes Ghana. The ax need to fall, or else there is no need to be patriotic for Ghana.
Hey, I think the Govt of the day should urgently probe AESL. Are they not established to assist govt? How did they arrive at this estimate and do they think is a fair estimate for the govt to pay?It is possible they are in league with the contractor to milk the nation. Please Nana let's investigate AESL and bring them to book if they are found palpable.
NDC and lies. Now they are exposed. Bawumia will always remain a prophet. You attack this man and later you people are exposed. Richard if the document is fake it doesnt lie in your bossom to authenticate it let the engineering company come out and deny it.
This document is fake because there is no signatory to it. For the purpose of forgery like the one that has just to done by Akomea the financial pages of contracts documents are always stamped or signed. Can anyone tells us where in that document or the financial pages was signed and by who?