The Ningo Prampram MP, Sam Nartey George, is accusing the Tsopoli Police Command in the Greater Accra Region of failing to prosecute some police officers arrested for stealing building materials worth $ 7 million from the abandoned Saglemi Housing Project.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Tuesday, he indicated that his constituents caught the policemen stealing building materials for the construction of the project from the site.
He added that although the offenders were handed over to the police, they failed to act on it because the culprits mentioned that they were sent by their Commanders to steal the building materials.
According to him, he had received several complaints of theft from his constituents, however he brushed them aside because he doubted them.
“At 1 am my guys called me and said Honourable we’ve been telling you, you said we are lying, now we’ve caught them. So, I drove to the site at 1 am and called police officers with a KIA Bongo truck that had loaded tiles, sanitary wares, toilet bowls and all from the site.
“We took them to the Tsopoli Police Station, from there, we marched them on to the Tema Regional Command – that case has died because the guys made it clear that they were sent by their Commanders to come and steal the things.”
He further noted that the rot went on under the watch of the current government.
“They abandoned the site, put national security and police officers on the site that they were protecting the site and $7 million worth of building materials that was left in there – tiles, cables, pipes were stolen,” he added.
Works on the Saglemi Housing Project which began in 2016 have stalled after the government said the project was not in the best interest of Ghanaians.
Some former government officials are standing trial for allegedly causing financial loss to the state in the execution of the projection.
Nonetheless, the current government has started a new housing project at Pokuase.
Former President John Dramani Mahama recently criticised President Akufo-Addo for abandoning the Saglemi Housing project started by his administration.
Mr Mahama says the President’s decision to abandon the project and yet spend billions of cedis on the controversial National Cathedral is ‘unacceptable’.
According to him, the Akufo-Addo government prioritised their own parochial interests instead of prioritising the interests of the ordinary Ghanaian.
“It is unacceptable for Akufo-Addo to spend over half a billion cedis on a national cathedral project that has ultimately failed due to corruption and is now abandoned, yet refuses to commit funds to complete a housing project that will benefit thousands of Ghanaian families.”
“Knowing the NPP government, they did not want to complete the Saglemi housing project simply because it was initiated by John Mahama and an NDC administration.”
“Leaders must always prioritise the well-being of their citizens and ensure that they benefit from government resources and projects, regardless of who initiated them,” he said in a Facebook post.
He thus said President Akufo-Addo’s comments that the government is not getting the needed funds to complete the project is humiliating.
“The misplaced priorities of a government that claim it is unable to raise money to complete the Saglemi housing project and yet is willing to spend half a billion cedis on the largest civil excavation in Africa is a humiliating slap in the face of Ghanaians who entrusted Akufo-Addo with their mandate.”
“Just think about the countless number of Ghanaian families who could have had decent living conditions over the past 7 years and the individuals who could have had a place to truly call home in Saglemi,” he added.