Stop BoG’s $250m head office construction - Bono House of Chiefs to President

The President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to restrain the Bank of Ghana (BoG) from spending the $250 million on the construction of its new head office building.

"As a matter of priority, we are appealing to the government of the Republic of Ghana to investigate the matter and stop them from further construction of the project. BoG is not totally independent; discuss with them to halt the development of the project.

“The house and its people are not happy about the development, how can the country go to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for $3 billion and want to use $250 million to construct only one project?” the president of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs quizzed.

Job opportunities

Osagyefo Agyemang Badu, who is also the Omanhene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, was speaking at the first general meeting of the house for the year last Thursday, in Sunyani in the Bono Region.

He intimated that the amount could have been used to create jobs for the teeming youth or shared among the 16 regions to embark on development projects to improve their lot, emphasising that if he had the power to do so, he would have “demolished the building to demonstrate my displeasure about the project.”

Faux pas

Osagyefo Agyemang Badu described as a faux pas the BoG’s decision to go ahead to build the new head office and questioned its timing, more so when the bank had announced a loss of about GH¢60 billion for 2022.

"While we are about to recover from the shock of the announcement that the central bank made a loss of GH¢60billion in 2022, that same BoG came out with another shocking news of using $250 million to construct its office," he stressed.

Development fund

Osagyefo Agyemang Badu reiterated the house’s commitment to set up the Bono Development Fund to initiate programmes to promote development and reduce unemployment among the youth.

He said the house was expected to unveil the fund by the end of September 2023, and it would be used to create employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth, particularly graduates in the region.

He thus commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for reviving the Sunyani Airport, a project which was abandoned for several years, emphasising that its revival would help boost economic development and further open up the region.

He also thanked President Akufo-Addo for giving approval for the upgrading of the Sunyani Regional Hospital to a teaching hospital.

Poor roads

The Bono Regional House of Chiefs’ President, however, expressed concern about the poor nature of road infrastructure across the region.

He mentioned the Sunyani town roads, Sunyani-Chiraa road, Berekum-Sampa road, Nsawkaw-Sampa road, Baakonieba-Berlin Top road and Odumase roads, as some of the roads in a deplorable state.

Osagyefo Agyemang Badu was disappointed that though several government budgets dating back to the tenure of the late former President Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings to the present government had captured the Sunyani-Chiraa road, “none of them constructed the road.”

He described the road as crucial to the chiefs and people of the region and Ghana’s neighbouring country, Cote d'Ivoire, and therefore, urged the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, to lobby for the completion of that project.

Appeal

The regional minister pledged her commitment to push for the rehabilitation of the roads and appealed to the chiefs to support her efforts.

She also appealed to the chiefs to work closely with government appointees in the region to facilitate development.

Ms Owusu-Banahene further appealed to the chiefs to desist from interfering in the planning schemes of the Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs).

The Sunyani High Court Judge, Justice Harry Acheampong-Opoku, who swore in two new members of the house, advised the house to learn the Chieftaincy Act and the culture of the land.

He urged them to always obey the laws of the country to avoid embarrassment, explaining that it was sometimes embarrassing to see a chief in court for a contempt case.

Meeting

The house, in memory of the late Omanhene of the Sunyani Traditional Area, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, and Berekumhene, Daasebre Amankona Diawuo II, observed a minute’s silence before the day’s proceedings began.

Two new members of the house —  the Omanhene of Wenchi Traditional Area, Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoampong Tabrako III, and the Kwatwomahene, Osabarima Asiedu Kotwi II — were sworn in as part of the agenda for the house’s sitting.

Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh