$12m Oslo property already bought – Minority provides ‘evidence’

The Minority in Parliament has insisted the government of Ghana has already made arrangement to purchase the ‘cost-inflated-property’ property to be used as Ghana’s mission in Oslo, Norway.

“As we have pointed out…the seller of the property has an agreement which have tended in evidence before and Ghana made some demands on the seller and the seller proceeded to carry out those demands and contractors are on site,” Minority spokesperson on Foreign affairs Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told the press Tuesday.

The property, according to the Minority was purchased at a cost of $12.1million instead of $3.5million.

The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchway in a statement said the property is yet to be purchased and that this discussions are still underway.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not signed any agreement to purchase the said properties; that is the Chancery and the Ambassador’s Residence,” said Mrs Ayorkor Botchway in response to the claims of inflated transaction in the purchase of the 100-year-old property.

But Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa maintains that the property was purchased.

“I don’t believe that the seller is Father Christmas. So, we want to see the response. Maybe the seller is so forgiving that he will say ok we have forgiven you, we walk out and go and see no more. We will not charge you for all the cost incurred.”

Demanding to know the full liabilities involved in the purchase of the property, he said “our checks indicate that there’s an officer of the foreign Ministry who has been stationed there, who has been working and spearheading the transaction.”

That notwithstanding, the Minority called for a full probe into the saga saying: “we want to hear from president Akufo-Addo on the matter.”

Source: starrfmonline