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The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto, has identified what he views to be inconsistencies and price changes in the construction of the artificial turfs by the Ghana National Petroleum Commission.
Samuel Okudzeto, with the benefit of documents that he has published on his social media handles, spotted some discord in what he alleges to be quoted figures from the Ministry of Energy and that of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee.
In the price variations spotted by Okudzeto, the figures submitted to Parliament by the Ministry of Energy are significantly higher than the ones quoted in the PIAC report.
He noted that whereas the Energy Ministry’s report mentions GH¢40.7million as the total cost of 30 astroturfs, the PIAC reports quote GH¢8,188,000.35.
“The PIAC Report indicates that 22 out of the 30 Astro Turfs are being constructed at GH¢319,813.00 each, with the remaining 8 at a somewhat lower construction cost.
“PIAC further reports a total figure of GH¢8,188,000.35 spent on constructing the 30 Astro Turfs.
“When compared to answers the Energy Minister provided to a parliamentary question standing in my name on July 5, 2022; the construction cost for the Astro Turfs in issue differ significantly.
“The Minister told Parliament most of the Astro Turfs cost GH¢1,599,065.00 each. To illustrate further with a few examples: according to the Minister’s parliamentary response, the Adenta, Karaga, Yendi, Mankessim, Adiembra, Akyemansa, Kumasi, Beposo and Bantama Astro Turfs cost GH¢1,599,065.00 each which is absolutely in sharp contrast from PIAC’s report indicating that those same projects cost just GH¢319,813.00 each.
“Let’s consider another example, whereas PIAC’s report to Parliament states that the Tarkwa Astro Turf cost GH¢49,860.60; the Minister claimed in his July 5, 2022 answer to my parliamentary question that the Tarkwa Astro Turf cost an impressive GH¢997,212.00.
“When put in full context, the Minister’s total cost for the listed Astro Turfs amounts to GH¢40,779,395.79 instead of the PIAC total figure of GH¢8,188,000.35. That is a massive variance of GH¢32,591,395.44”.
“What exactly accounts for this yawning disparity in the utilization of Ghana’s precious oil funds?”, he quizzed.
The astroturf project is the government’s flagship sports program which is aimed at solving the lack of sports infrastructure.
However, some sporting personalities including former Ghana defender Samuel Osei Kuffour have raised issues with the country’s seeming fixation with astroturf.
Sammy Kuffour blurted out at a StarTimes program over the artificial turf issue with the reason that the pitches are not good for sports development.
“Now we have astroturf coming to Ghana. Is it good for our football? For me, I think it’s not the best for our kids. How many of them would get injuries in the Achilles, injury problems everywhere because of astroturf?”
“German people have stopped using astroturfs, Europeans have stopped using astroturfs. So, why are we just so much concerned about bringing astroturfs here. It doesn’t help us. The technical abilities that the young ones need to train it doesn’t go with the astroturf”.
