Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the minority leader in parliament has warned the new Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Johnson Asiama not to let himself be used for political football.
According to Afenyo Markin, Dr Johnson Asiama must avoid political controversies and maintain the independence of his office.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, March 5, during Dr Asiama’s appearance, Afenyo Markin stated, “I recall that in the 2015 State of the Nation Address, Mr. President [John Dramani Mahama] raised concerns about poor supervision of the banking sector by the Bank of Ghana.
The governor today was the deputy governor then. Are we now picking and choosing which matters we want the governor to brief us on?”
“Mr. Governor, don’t make yourself a tool for political football. The role of the governor of the central bank is critical to the economy of this country.
I do not want to politicise the office of the governor, and I urge others to do the same”, he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Johnson Asiama has revealed that the total cost for the construction of the bank’s new headquarters has risen to $261.8 million following a series of revaluations and additional project requirements.
Briefing Parliament on the cost of the new building on Wednesday, March 5, Dr Asiama stated that the project, located at West Ridge, initially had an estimated cost of $81.8 million as approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).
However, after a request by the BoG for a re-evaluation, the value was increased to $121.1 million.
According to him, the project cost was revised again to $222.8 million following a redesign and the inclusion of Building Management Systems (BMS).
Additional statutory requirements, security measures, and sustainability considerations further increased the final cost to $261.8 million.
Dr. Asiama disclosed that as of February this year, approximately $230 million had been paid towards the project, leaving an outstanding balance of $31.8 million yet to be settled.
Additionally, a total of $48.3 million has been paid in taxes and levies related to the construction.
Beyond the core building, separate contracts were awarded for other critical infrastructure, including:
ICT systems and network infrastructure – $8.6 million
Integrated electronic security systems – $15.8 million
Furniture and interior finishes – $11.1 million
Former President Nana Akufo-Addo, inaugurated “The Bank Square” near the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on November 20, 2024, at an estimated cost of around US$250 million.
