NPA�s $2.4million Office Rent Might Go Up �As Tenancy Agreement Is Subject To Review

The chairman of the Mines and Energy Committee, Dr. Kwabena Donkor has revealed that the $68,000 rent per month which amounts to $2.4million for three years National Petroleum Authority (NPA) is paying for office accommodation could go up or stay at the same amount within the three years period. According to Dr. Kwabena Donkor, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Pru East, there is a provision in the tenancy agreement that indicates that the $68,000 amount being paid per month is subject to review within the three years period NPA has rented the property. The Chairman of the Mines and Energy Committee disclosed this in an interview after a crucial discussion with the officials of NPA in Parliament. Dr. Kwabena Donkor indicated that the officials from NPA led by their CEO, Moses Asaga, impressed on the Mines and Energy Committee that under no circumstances would NPA breach the directives from the Office of the Chief of Staff, Prosper Bani, which is urging NPA not to renew their agreement after the three years period signed has elapsed. He said the Mines and Energy Committee will monitor the NPA to find out where they have reached in putting up their own permanent structure. Dr. Kwabena Donkor also blamed past and current government for setting up bodies without giving them official accommodation. �If the States wants to set up bodies the State must take cognizance of the need to accommodate them. If you leave them to private commercial accommodation it will come with such headline figures,� he indicated. With the issue of the quorum of amount being spent on the property as rent, Dr. Kwabena Donkor was of the view that the $68,000 per month headline amount being quoted is populism, adding that the fundamental issue is why NPA is renting private commercial property after being in existence for 10 years. He noted that the State must make it a policy that no State organization especially those awash with cash should rent private commercial property after being in existence for two years. �I did it when I was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Petroleum Commission, within one and half years of existence we were able to acquire our own property through mortgage finance. Why should State organization rent commercial property after 10 years of existence?� he asked. Dr. Kwabena Donkor later urged other State organizations such as BOST to desist from renting private commercial properties and build their own property.