Ghanaian Legislators Slam ‘Cheap’ Chinese Refurbishment Job

There has been a recent uproar over a refurbishment job carried out on the edifice of Ghana’s parliament. A yet unnamed Chinese company was contracted to give the parliament building a facelift and to upgrade it, fitting it with state-of-the-art equipment to help legislators go about their duties easily. It also became imperative to carry out the expansion job to accommodate an extra number of legislators who have joined the chamber as a result of the creation of new constituencies.

There has been a recent uproar over a refurbishment job carried out on the edifice of Ghana’s parliament. A yet unnamed Chinese company was contracted to give the parliament building a facelift and to upgrade it, fitting it with state-of-the-art equipment to help legislators go about their duties easily. It also became imperative to carry out the expansion job to accommodate an extra number of legislators who have joined the chamber as a result of the creation of new constituencies.

However, several persons have criticized the refurbishing job, calling it cheap.

Ghana ParliamentBusiness World Ghana

Last week, Member of Parliament for Okaikwei South, Ahmed Arthur, described the upgrade as a “white elephant”. He decried the fact that local contractors and furniture makers missed out on the contract worth about $20 million which rather went to a Chinese firm. He also said the aim for the whole refurbishment exercise which was to create space has been defeated.

Others have complained about the nature and utility of the new luxurious chairs which reportedly swallowed up about $6 million of the budget.  They say it presents visibility problems during sitting.

Member of Parliament for Lower West Akim, Gifty Klenam threatened to go for her old chair if Parliament did not take steps to replace the new chairs. She revealed that the chairs have already started falling apart and a colleague actually fell off her chair in the chamber.

Others have raised concerns about the imagery that went into the refurbishment. They say the traditional Ghanaian symbolism that goes into the design of such important icons like the parliament building is missing. Spokesperson for the Tema Wood Workers Association, Delali Amexo, described the facelift as no different from a Chinese restaurant.

No Contractors To Provide 300 Chairs

Meanwhile Deputy Majority Leader, Alfred Kwame Agbesi has defended Parliament’s action to contract a foreign firm for the expansion and upgrade job.  He said no Ghanaian contractor had the capacity to deliver within the time frame set for the completion of the project. “We set a time limit to move into this chamber and we could not get any company to provide us with the 300 chairs and tables within that short time… there are companies which can produce maybe in a years’ time or two but we had set ourselves a time limit” he said.

Another area attracting red flags is the cost of the contract.

“Before the project started, we were told it would cost us GH¢16 million but now we have been made to understand it is GH¢60 million,” Ahmed Arthur said.