The Government has corrected inaccuracies in some media reports on the tour of the Jubilee House in Accra, the proposed seat of Government and official residence of the President of the Republic of Ghana.
A statement a Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa signed on Friday noted that despite the fact that the tour was organized for the media and together with the Project Consultants from the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) and the Project Manager, S. K. Singh, details of the project were made available to them, sections of the press went ahead to publish and broadcast stories that did not fully reflect what transpired.
The statement said nobody suggested during the tour that a security residence would have to be constructed within the walls of the 'Jubilee House' to accommodate security personnel before President John Atta Mills moves in.
"What we have said is that the facility does not have accommodation for the President's security detail, but the project contractors working with the AESL and with the knowledge of the President Kufuor Government, identified a piece of land for which an additional $35million would be required. The then Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani sent a request to the Indian Government for additional support to fund the security housing project."
The statement said the Ministry was, therefore, surprised at news reports suggesting that the President Mills Government, unhappy about the lack of a residential facility for security personnel within the Jubilee House, was planning to build a complex worth $35million.
"This Government has not taken any such decision and we can also confirm that the security machinery and Government is considering other options all aimed at ensuring that the facility is ready for the use of the Presidency," the statement said.
It explained that what was required "to complete the 'Jubilee House' was $15 million, which includes payment for $6.5million arrears owed the contractors; unpaid consultancy fees, completion of work on the General Services Building, which is supposed to house a clinic, fire service post, restaurant, post office and a bank; a garden; landscaping; helipad area and other required security installations.
"The main 'Jubilee House' cannot be lumped together with the proposed facility for the accommodation of security personnel which was estimated by the previous government, the contractors and AESL at $35 million," the statement said.
The release said; "it finds it rather shocking that some media houses and reporters decided, despite the information and detailed explanations offered during the tour, to peddle deliberate falsehood;" adding that the Government had not made any amendments or taken any new decisions on the Jubilee House Project, and that the $35million additional housing project is neither a priority nor a condition for the relocation of the seat of government.