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Lack of funds caused us to abandon Ghana@60 projects – C’ttee

The Chairman of the Ghana 60 Years On Committee, Ken Amankwah said he believes the budget they submitted to the various companies were too huge for the private entities to support them.

At the launch of the diamond jubilee celebrations, President Akufo Addo asked the committee to generate funds of its GH¢20 million budget for the programmes and projects from sponsorship by Corporate entities.

However, in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM, Mr Amankwah said he believes the budget they submitted to the various companies were too huge for the private entities to support them.

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Some of the projects they were to undertake included the building of 60 libraries in deprived areas across all 10 regions in the country.

“All these proposals were brought by people we call consultants and we asked them to bring budgets so we analyse. The budget, as usual, was humongous. [They were] very huge budgets, and looking at our collection, we did not think we could use it. I think this time around, we were victims of our own success.”

He further explained that the company that submitted the proposal for the construction of the libraries left the country before work could start on the project.

“We could not construct the libraries…It was a proposal that was brought by West Blue consortium who were formerly a digital company. The company unfortunately left and its work was taken over by another company but the company that came in was not interested in the proposal.”

When President Akufo-Addo announced the GH¢20 million budget for the diamond jubilee, most Ghanaians were of the view that it was too much.

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Many people criticised the government for its decision to spend so much on the celebration at a time when the country was struggling with huge levels of debt.

However, the Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration clarified that the amount would not be used on the actual celebration. They explained that it would be used for developmental projects over the period of a year.

A number of activities had been lined up for last year’s celebration, including a wreath-laying ceremony, a video documentary on Ghana’s Independence, an inter-schools debate competition, an innovative apps challenge, an international gospel concert, a public lecture and the independence day parade, among other things.

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