THE SAGLEMI HOUSING SCANDAL
The scandalous story behind the (MWRWH) Saglemi housing project depicts how pathetic yet irritating it is, how far some government officials can go to swindle the nation and deprive it’s pollois of what is entitled to them.
The US$200 million project which was officially approved by the erstwhile John Mahama administration on 15th August and 31st October 2012 respectively, is the actualisation of a 5,000 housing unit on a 2,172 acre of land at Saglemi near old Ningo, in the Dangme East district of the Greater Accra Region, for sale to workers through a mortgage by Ghana Home loans.
The then minister for Water Resources Works and Housing,(WRWH) honorable Collins Dauda censured the signed Engineering and Procurement(EPC) agreement with Messers Construtora OAS Ghana Limited and de-escalated the number to 1,502 on 27th February, 2014 even after the payment of a contract sum of US$200 million from the Buyer’s Credit of Credit Suisse International had been made by Stanbic bank into the company’s account on 4th January, 2013.
“Ostensibly, the only 636 housing stocks out of the alleged 5,000 housing units which have been rolled out, do not have on- site infrastructure. A rigorous analysis into this issue reveals that there have been embezzlement of funds, owing to the fact that the Dubai company, Ridge Management Services, (WC-LLC), which signed a 3 month contract service agreement with (WRWH) at a US $5.6 million dollars rendered an ill-defined service even after (WRWH) was impelled to make a down payment of 40% of the sum.
Also, a contract signed by the (AESL) on 15th April, 2018 reveals that, another 40% payment of $5,000,000 million was made to South African, Vitor Hugo- Coordenaceo e Gestao De Projects for a 4 month contract whose effective was on 22nd April, 2018.
Other comprehensive collection of documents which prove that funds have been embezzled include;
The review, restatement and and the amendment of the first agreement and the signature of the second agreement which reduced the housing units to 1,024 with 90 units to be left at foundation or lintel and 388 to be double-dyed externally at an updated amount of $181,519,000. This brings the total units to be constructed at 1,502.
The disbursement of US$198,450,000 and transaction funds of US$1,550,000 by into the Eskrow account at the Bank of Ghana by Messers Credit Suisse International.
The advance payment of the sum of US$80,000,000, which is 40% of the contract sum paid by MWRWH as mobilization to the contractor who transferred US$40 million abroad even before work started.
The ostentatious services rendered to the erstwhile minister for WRWH in a contract sum of US$1,002,00 by the Messers Ridge Management Solutions(DWC-LLC) on 21st December,2016 even after notifying the contractor of the completion time of the 8 month contract, on 31st December,2016. The the commencement of the construction by Messers OAS Ghana Limited took effect at the public site early 2014.
The breakdown of the sum of money paid to the companies involved are listed below;
1. Construtora OAS Limited – US$179,904.757.78
2. Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) – 2,550,000.00
3. Ridge Management Solutions(RMG) – US $8,662,029.20
4. Victor Hugo – Coodenaceo E Gesta De Projectos – US$4,738, 182.54.
making a total of US$195,854,969.00 and US$2,246,480.34 in the Eskrow account of the Bank of Ghana as at 30th April, 2018.
According to the Attorney General’s report on delivered on 8th May, 2019, the project has lapsed and dilly-dallied due to defalcation.
There is no doubt that, the country has been bellied-up in this endeavor. Comparing this to other embezzlement issues like that of the Woyome saga, this is 3 times way more than the judgement debt payed to him. This and others have rendered the country’s economic status deficient.
Source: Anonymous
