Members of the Concerned Voters Movement (CVM) have asked the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to invite former President John Dramani Mahama for questioning over issues relating to the Saglemi Housing deal. This follows investigation launched into the issue by the CID following a report submitted to them by the Ghana Institution of Surveyors.
The report indicted some officials in the previous Mahama government, including Collins Dauda, a former Minister of Works and Housing, who were key in the execution of the project.
Stench
The Saglemi housing deal was to provide 5,000 housing units in the rural part of the Greater Accra at a cost of $200 million.
However, after receiving parliamentary approval for the project, the Mahama government allegedly reviewed the number of housing units from the initial 5,000 to 1,502 without parliamentary approval, while the initial cost of $200million remained constant.
According to CVM, in a statement signed by Razak Kojo Opoku, President and Founder, a conclusive report submitted to the government by the Ghana Institution of Surveyors “states clearly that Affordable Housing Projects under former President Mahama is a rip-off and the amount of money blown in the project is over $100 million.”
Mahama’s arrest
The group contends that the call on the police to invite Mr Mahama is necessary, considering the amount of money involved in the scandal, which happened under his watch.
“John Mahama and NDC’s People Manifesto completely runs away from the Saglemi Affordable Housing Projects because they knew of their corrupt acts in such projects. It is important that former President John Mahama clears the air on his role as far as this Affordable Housing Projects issue is concerned,” the group said.