Sammy Gyamfi’s statement on Sanglemi Housing is full of lies – E.T Mensah

He said the account by Mr. Gyamfi on how the loan the was approved and the contractual agreements prior to the start of the controversial project were full of lies.

In an exclusive interview on Good Evening Ghana with Paul Adom-Otchere, the former Minister of Works and Housing said most of the things in the NDC’s statement are bare faced lies.

“[The plan was] 5,000 houses, first phase. It is a lie [it wasn’t going to be built in four phases]. I was not involved in any phasing system. We knew that we wanted to build, that is 5,000 houses to be built for workers, and it was approved; executive approval was given and parliament approved it, so if anything at all, If I wanted to change something, I had to go through the same process again,” he said.

“That person doesn’t know what he is talking about… It is not true. It is absolutely false,” he said.

Sammy Gyamfi in a statement had alleged that E.T Mensah agreed that the project will be constructed in 4 phases.

He also said the approved amount of $200 million for the project excluded the cost of a serviced plot of land with roads, water, electricity, drains, sewage systems and other ancillary facilities for the smooth takeoff of the project, and that because government did not have any funds to fall on to discharge these responsibilities, the decision was taken by the ministry to use part of the approved amount of the project for the necessary ancillary works.

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Dame, earlier this week filed court processes to prosecute former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Collins Dauda; his successor, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, and three other persons for allegedly causing financial loss to the state wilfully over the now-abandoned Saglemi Affordable Housing Project.

The state is pressing 52 counts of criminal charges against the accused persons who he accuses of misapplying the state’s $200 million to pay for less than 1,500 affordable housing units at Saglemi, instead of the 5,000 units parliament granted approval for.

Watch E.T Mensah’s denial below