Parliament unhappy with money paid to clear site for James Town Harbour

Parliamentary Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs has expressed dissatisfaction at the sums of monies channeled into the clearance of the area earmarked for the construction of the James Town Harbour project.
It would be recalled that President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction of the project on December 5, 2018.
The committee’s report on the 2019 budget performance of the Ministry stated that it realised that clearance of the project area was awarded to the same contractor several times within the year and various sums of monies paid to the contractor.
Meanwhile, the only major clearance done at the project site was in the year 2020, hence does not understand why various sums of monies were paid for that purpose, the report said.
However, a response from the Ministry captured by the report stated that the project site was cleared severally because squatters returned to the site anytime clearance was done. But the Committee considers the situation and explanation from the Ministry untenable and needless.
“The Committee further realized that various sums of money were released towards the clearance of the area earmarked for the construction of the James Town Harbour Project.
“Clearance of the project area was awarded to the same contractor several times within the year. The Ministry explained that the project site was cleared severally because squatters returned to the site anytime clearance was done.
“The Committee considers the situation untenable and needless since the only major clearance done at the project area was in the year 2020.”
It, however, recommended that government provide adequate resources towards it since it’s contributes immensely to the health of Ghanaians.
It also advocated for resources for the Ministry to enable it do greater surveillance on Ghana’s high seas and the monitoring of aquaculture sector to ensure growth.
Meanwhile, government officially handed over the site for the construction of the project to the Chinese engineers and contractors who are funding the project on last Sunday, November 1.
The construction is expected to be completed in 32 months. The President indicated that the construction of the harbour is being made possible by a $60 million grant by the Chinese Government.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Daniel Titus-Glover, during the handing over ceremony revealed that the modern fishing harbour would not only constitute the fish landing sites but also include cold store facilities, market areas and other social amenities to holistically improve the livelihoods of the constituents of Odododiodioo, and Ghana at large.
On another occasion, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Accra, Mohammed Sowah emphasised the importance of the Jamestown Fishing Harbour to the local economy of the Ga Mashie enclave.
He reiterated the trade link between the Jamestown Fishing Harbour and the Salaga Market which was also under construction, adding that the economic value of these two projects to the indigenes of the area was enormous and would play a strategic role in the development of the area.

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