NPP MP Hijacks Kasoa Interchange, Community Day SHS Projects

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region, Hawa Mavis Koomson, has shocked many, over her decision to splash projects of the John Dramani Mahama-led government in the area, as her personal achievements and that of Nana Akufo-Addo; her flagbearer .

The MP, according to The Herald sources within the Constituency, has littered parts of the Constituency, with billboards showing few projects she claimed were embarked by her, since her election as a legislator some four years ago.

Among them is the US$172-million Kasoa Interchange, which Akufo-Addo, had described as an epitome of Mahama’s corruption.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Awutu Senya East Assembly, Dr. Adams Nuhu, has described the NPP MP’s act, as an endorsement of President Mahama, over Nana Akufo-Addo, because the latter has nothing to show to convince the electorates.

The multi-million dollar ambitious Kasoa Interchange is being constructed to connect the Greater Accra Region to the Central Region, Western Region and parts of the Ashanti Region.

The traffic congestion on that road, had become so perverse and an interchange was necessary to remedy the situation, especially the man-hours commuters waste on the road.

Hawa Mavis Koomson’s billboards, show how infrastructure development will influence both Parliamentary and Presidential elections in that Constituency, and portray the MP and her flagbearer, as either having nothing to show to the electorates in that community or desperately seeking to take advantage of projects embarked on by their bitterest rivals.

In all, the MP, has six items as her projects displayed on the billboards, a picture of which is in the possession of this paper. The giant billboard, has the MP on one side smiling and the NPP’s flagbearer, Akufo-Addo, also smiling broadly on the right hand side.

Amazingly, Nana Addo, Hawa Koomson and her colleagues in parliament, had kicked against these same projects, especially the Kasoa Interchange during its inception.

Indeed, Nana Addo at a press conference, had daringly claimed that the price of the Interchange, had been hugely inflated by President Mahama; suggesting an act of corruption.

One of the billboards erected on a store building near the Kasoa Interchange, has both the interchange and the Odupong Community Day School, located in the Awutu Senya East Municipality on it.

Hawa Mavis Koomson’s billboard, uses the popular NDC Akan slogan “toaso” (continue) phrase coined for the MP as “Hawa be toaso” (Hawa will Continue). On the side of Nana Addo, has the inscription “Nana Be Ba” (Nana Will Come).

Constituency insiders told The Herald that the MP was claiming she personally lobbied for the projects from the government, hence their inclusion on her billboards; a statement said to be far from the truth.

US$172-million Kasoa edifice, is the second interchange by the government after the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange in Accra, priced at 74.88 million euro.

Additionally, the Mahama government, has also secured a loan facility to construct another interchange at Obetsebi Lamptey Circle in between the Kaneshie Market and the now Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, also in an effort to ease traffic congestion.

The project, approved by Parliament in October last year, comprises the construction of 200m of Interchange Bridge, a new roundabout, drainage and public lighting, the 33-kilometre Amasaman-Kasoa road, and the 20 kilometres of roads in the Ga South municipality and Kasoa.

Nana Akufo-Addo, described it as too expensive, after failing to see the benefits it would bring to motorists, residents, traders and other users of that road.

The NPP flagbearer, alleged that the US$172 million contract, was inflated, challenging President Mahama to have the figures checked again.

The 72-year old, went ahead to cite the project as one of the reasons the NPP sees the Mahama government as very corrupt.

It took the intervention of the NPP’s own Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport, Kofi Owusu-Aduomi, who told his flagbearer in the face that, the cost of the project, had not been inflated as claimed by him.
Since then, nothing has been heard about the project which is said to be progressing steadily.

It, therefore, came as a shocker, when residents recently woke up to the news that the interchange has forcefully been claimed as belonging to the incumbent NPP MP.

Many see Mrs. Koomson’s action as naked dishonesty.

Dr. Nuhu, who is the NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate for the area, said it was interesting for the MP to have claimed the projects as her own, when at the beginning they have ridiculed them.

“She has endorsed President Mahama. They said the Kasoa Interchange is costly, but she has brought it there [on her billboard], she has brought Community Day School, they said Community Day School we were lying; it was said on air; everywhere, so if she has brought it there [on her billboard] what is it for? Is she campaigning for herself or for the president who is doing the project?” Dr. Nuhu said.

The Municipal Chief Executive of the Awutu Senya East Assembly continued “she is endorsing John Mahama as the best president we should vote for, Akufo-Addo, cannot do anything….”

Community Day School, they said we have not done the 200, we have not done, we have done it for Kasoa, and she has brought it there if she, an opposition member, can take credit, why wont the NDC take credit?

This comes few months after another MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo, also claimed other projects embarked on by the government in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, as her projects financed by herself and her father; Apostle Kwadwo Safo.