rLG’s Gift Of Boreholes To MPs: To Take Or Not To Take

Towards the end of last week there was a news item on several media websites to the effect that Ghana's ICT Giant- RLG has proposed to give every Member of our Parliament one borehole each in their constituencies.

According to the story, a letter from the Company to the Clerk of Parliament is inviting each lawmaker to select a site in his or her constituency for a borehole to be drilled at the expense of RLG in fulfillment of the company's social responsibility.

On the surface it sounds like a good idea; A Ghanaian Company helping to provide water for Ghanaians as part of its social responsibility. Great idea, but wait a minute! What are the implications of this move on the Parliamentarians, on our quest for probity and accountability and ultimately on our democracy, freedom and justice.

Not long ago the Chief Executive Officer of RLG came under intense media probing over some 'phantom' projects that cost the nation millions of Ghana Cedis. For weeks, these projects, supposedly executed by 'subsidiaries' of RLG, were the subject of intense media debates across the nation.

Given the enormity of the allegations and considering that the matter was even captured in the Auditor General's Reports many Ghanaians thought that Parliament would have by now instituted a probe into these allegations to bring out the facts.

As it stands now we have not yet settled the matter as to whether or not the Chief Executive Officer of RLG and his companies did anything wrong. Many Ghanaians only know that there are the outstanding matters of guinea fowls and afforestation projects to be verified.

So, in the midst of these serious issues, if RLG is proposing to give Members of Parliament one borehole each for the constituencies that could sound like an attempt to compromise the legislators?

Already there are many Ghanaians who are not comfortable with the cozy relationships that exist between some Private Sector Operators on one hand and some Members of our Parliament and even the Executive on the other hand. There are allegations that many Members of Parliament own RLG phones and Laptops which items they allegedly received on gratis.

There are also allegations that some Members of Parliament were sponsored in the elections by these Private Sector Operators. We do not know for sure what the truth is. But for whatever it is worth, it is not advisable for Members of Parliament to take these gifts of boreholes.

If truly RLG wants fulfill its social responsibility let them deal with the chiefs in these localities or better still the district assemblies. That way they will depoliticize the boreholes and everybody will be happy. We promise to return to this subject in full some time later. Adieu.