Osafo Marfo Kicks against sale of state bungalows

Senior Minister Designate, Yaw Osafo Marfo, has kicked against sale of state bungalows to an outgoing president or any public office holder who is leaving office.

Mr. Osafo Marfo, who was answering a question on the request by former President John Dramani Mahama to maintain his official residence as his retirement home, during his vetting in Parliament on Friday, argued that it would have been inappropriate if President Mahama’s request was granted.

According to him, the ‘controversial’ bungalow was meant to be the official residence of the Vice President hence could not be handover to the former president as his retirement home.

He wondered why the former President requested to stay in the bungalow knowing very well that a new administration had taken over.

“Personally, I do not believe that people not even at that level but at even lower levels should be given the chance to buy houses which they lived in which are normally official houses because where Kwesi Botchwey lived, Kwame Peprah also lived and I also lived there. If any of them was allowed to buy I wouldn’t have gotten a place to live.’’

“I think the whole idea of having houses designated for certain position in the system should be maintained and should not be allowed for people to buy,” the former Finance Minister stated.

The former president request has been met with condemnations, with critics accusing him of being greedy.

The former communications minister Dr. Omane Boamah told journalists that President Mahama’s request was granted by the New Patriotic Party side of the transition team, but the spokesperson for the transition team Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah denied it.

But speaking at the vetting of ministerial nominees, Senior Minister designate Yaw Osafo Marfo said the former Chief of Staff Julius Debrah informed him about president Mahama’s request but indicated that no decision was reached on the matter.

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