Parliament approves $150m loan for GARID project

Parliament has approved a loan facility of $150 million to fund the ongoing Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project. The World Bank loan will address issues of flooding in the capital.

Despite stiff opposition from the Minority caucus, the loan was approved.

The Minority in Parliament argued that an earlier loan facility of $200 million approved for the GARID project had been mishandled by the government and therefore feared a similar scenario would be replicated.

Although the Finance Minister, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam pledged that the loan would be put to good use, the Minority would not budge.

The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin then took a voice vote, but following stern resistance from the Minority, the Speaker decided to carry out a head count on the motion.

Following a headcount vote, the Majority outnumbered the Minority, which led to the approval of the loan.

Parliament reconvened on Friday, May 17, for an emergency sitting.

The recall follows a petition from the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, requesting the session to address outstanding government business.