STX Failure Should Be Blamed On An Irresponsible Opposition - Kwesi Pratt

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government must not entirely be held culpable for the failure of the STX Housing Project to take-off, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., has said. According to the Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, �part of the blame must be placed at the door steps of an irresponsible opposition, for their negative vibe towards the project�. He accused the NPP of deliberately opposing and sabotaging every initiative of the President Mills�-led NDC administration. He surmised that the NPPs� constant criticism of the STX Housing Project is one of the main reasons why the project could not take off, stressing that nobody will want to put his money in such venture. �I think part of the blame must be placed at the door steps of an irresponsible opposition deliberately intent on sabotaging everything that government does. I recall in the wake of the STX debate, the opposition (issuing a) warning (to) STX that they are coming to power and when they do, they will review the agreement. This then provided the justification for the political insurance company cover that the project have but the threat continued, so who is going to put his money in a country where elections has just ended on a head-to-head margin and the opposition is threatening to come back to power...and will review the agreement. Who will put his money in the STX project? That was one of the reasons or possible reasons why the project did not take off,� he argued. Mr. Pratt also cited the Boardroom wrangling between the Korean Directors and their Ghanaian counterparts as another factor for the failure of the deal. He described the bickering and internal strife associated with the $1.5 billion conflict-ridden STX Housing Project as �uninspiring� which could lead to anybody withdrawing their resources. The seasoned journalist, who was contributing to discussion on Radio Gold�s Alhaji and Alhaji show also slammed the NPP�s position on the US$3billion Chinese loan facility from the China Development Bank (CDB) to finance major infrastructural and industrial projects in various parts of the country. To him, it was unfair for the NPP to relate the $3bn Chinese Loan agreement to the STX Housing Project deal, stressing that the two agreement do not have anything in common. �Many of the people on the Minority side came out and said look we've just had the experience of the STX agreement and we should be very careful that this ($3bn Chinese loan) does not become another STX fiasco. And they were indeed telling the people of the Western Region that be careful, all the people who supported the STX project now have their hands burned and are ashamed because if its failure. There are no similarities between this agreement and the STX agreement,� he noted. He however conceded that �the STX agreement is having some difficulties� and called for the abrogation of the contract if necessary. ��indeed like others who have spoken on the issue, I believe the time has come for us to sit down and review the STX agreement, and if necessary, to abrogate it completely,� Kwesi Pratt said.