News:
September 1, 2011
The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Sumana Bagbin, in a press statement has dismissed reports that he fought with the Vice President over the controvertial STX Housing deal.
In the Statement, Hon Bagbin said: “My attention has been drawn to snatches of recent press reports and commentary to the effect that there has been an altercation between H.E. the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama and myself at the Castle regarding the National Housing Project.”
The NDC Member of Parliament for Nadowli West said his initial “intention” was to ignore this “piece of totally wild and reckless gossip with further commentary. However, I have had to revise my stand because less discerning people may be misled into believing this calculated falsehood.”
The statement, issued August 30, 2011, added, “For the avoidance of doubt and for the records therefore, I wish to clearly state that in my capacity as Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, my relationship with H.E. the Vice President and his High Office, both at the personal and official levels, is at an all-time high; and I do proudly enjoy his incredible support, goodwill and very active collaboration in everything, including the National Housing Project.”
It added: “I wish to take advantage of this release to put to rest and to unreservedly condemn this malicious piece of false journalism. I also want to reassure, especially all my friends, well wishers and discerning Ghanaians who have all rightly been scandalized by this report, that no such incident occurred, or has ever occurred between H.E. the Vice President and myself.
It comes days after the office of the Vice President issued a similar statement after widespread news reports claimed late last week that the two men had fought at a meeting to discuss the boardroom crisis facing the STX deal, under which STX Engineering and Construction Ghana Limited is contract bound to build some 30,000 Housing units for Ghana’s security personnel.
The Vice President’s statement also described as false an earlier claim that the former Bole Bamboi MP “pulled a gun on former President, JJ Rawlings at the Castle.”
It added: “Every Ghanaian knows and appreciates his tolerance and patience and it is not in his character to engage in verbal or physical exchanges with any person.
“… John Mahama has chaired, on behalf of the President, various government meetings on helping clear the country’s housing deficit and also reviewed the wrangling among the partners working on the Ghana Housing Project. None of these meetings has recorded any of the false news reports.”
The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has issued a statement in Accra to reinforce an earlier press release in which Vice President John Dramani Mahama denied media reports that he recently fought with the former Majority Leader over the crisis-ridden STX Housing deal.
In the Statement, Hon Bagbin said: “My attention has been drawn to snatches of recent press reports and commentary to the effect that there has been an altercation between H.E. the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama and myself at the Castle regarding the National Housing Project.”
The NDC Member of Parliament for Nadowli West said his initial “intention” was to ignore this “piece of totally wild and reckless gossip with further commentary. However, I have had to revise my stand because less discerning people may be misled into believing this calculated falsehood.”
The statement, issued August 30, 2011, added, “For the avoidance of doubt and for the records therefore, I wish to clearly state that in my capacity as Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, my relationship with H.E. the Vice President and his High Office, both at the personal and official levels, is at an all-time high; and I do proudly enjoy his incredible support, goodwill and very active collaboration in everything, including the National Housing Project.”
It added: “I wish to take advantage of this release to put to rest and to unreservedly condemn this malicious piece of false journalism. I also want to reassure, especially all my friends, well wishers and discerning Ghanaians who have all rightly been scandalized by this report, that no such incident occurred, or has ever occurred between H.E. the Vice President and myself.
It comes days after the office of the Vice President issued a similar statement after widespread news reports claimed late last week that the two men had fought at a meeting to discuss the boardroom crisis facing the STX deal, under which STX Engineering and Construction Ghana Limited is contract bound to build some 30,000 Housing units for Ghana’s security personnel.
The Vice President’s statement also described as false an earlier claim that the former Bole Bamboi MP “pulled a gun on former President, JJ Rawlings at the Castle.”
It added: “Every Ghanaian knows and appreciates his tolerance and patience and it is not in his character to engage in verbal or physical exchanges with any person.
“… John Mahama has chaired, on behalf of the President, various government meetings on helping clear the country’s housing deficit and also reviewed the wrangling among the partners working on the Ghana Housing Project. None of these meetings has recorded any of the false news reports.”
By: Kwadwo Anim/ghanamps.gov.gh