The Constituency Organiser of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Shama in the Western Region has not only resigned from the party after the abrogation of a GH300, 000 six Unit classroom block project initially awarded to him, but has also exposed the umbrella family over some of its inner undertakings, which he says are dirty.
According to Mr. Branford Acheampong, considering the circumstances under which the party denied him of a contract he had bidded for, won and began executing, he was left with no other option than to resign and come out to expose the NDC to Ghanaians.
Situated at Atwerboanda in the Shama District, the contract was one of the ‘schools under trees’ projects.
Speaking in a telephone interview, Blankson Acheampong, a building contractor, told this reporter that he applied for the deal in the year 2011, which cost was pegged at GHC180,000. However, he narrated, not long after he had gone to the site to begin work, there was a sudden rise in the prices of building materials.
Consequently, he applied to the Ghana Education Trust (GET)FUND to review the cost of the project, when it had reached the foundation level.
Branford indicated that he waited for some time, in anticipation that the reviewed cost would match the current inflationary rates, but GETFUND placed it at GH300,000.
Unknown to the Regional Organiser, the same project he was seeking a review had been re-awarded to the Regional Organizer of the ruling party, Mr Japhet Baidoe. Not convinced, he went to the project site to see things for himself, only to see his boss at post.
Describing the conduct of the Regional Organizer as a stab in the back, Branford told this reporter that he reported his conduct to party bigwigs but nothing came out of it.
His worry, he pointed out, was the fact that he was now indebted to his suppliers of sand, iron rods and cement.
The Constituency Organizer indicated that having realised his boss was using his building materials all he could do was to part him (Branford) with a paltry sum of GHC700.
Branford made it clear that the stab in the back, tied to other ‘dirty’ dealings, compelled him to blow the cover of the party.
But in a swift reaction to the story, Mr Japhet Baidoe, who confirmed he was re-awarded the contract in question, said he could not be blamed with the explanation that he did not award the contract to himself.
Asked if he knew the Constituency Organizer was the one behind the project initially, he answered in the affirmative, but quickly gave an account which actually led to that development. He agreed that the contract was awarded to his colleague in 2011. However, Japhet noted, when the building got to the foundation level, his colleague went sleeping, although he was aware the project had to be completed in nine months.
He added that the Member of Parliament (MP) and the District Chief Executive (DCE) for area issued several warnings for him to complete the project but all fell on deaf ears. Japhetsaid he also personally engaged him in talks but he would not budge.
Subsequently, the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and the GETFUND took a decision to re-award the contract after the inspection of GETFUND projects in the region, when they abrogated it and that was when Japhet said he put in a bid and won the contract.
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