The Office of Government Machinery has justified the GH¢21 million spent on renovating Black Star Square, stating that the project ultimately served a different national purpose beyond the Ghana 67th Independence Day celebration.
Speaking before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, March 31, Chief Director Abubakar Wayo explained that although the renovation was initially tied to Independence Day plans, the facility was later needed for the Presidential Inauguration.
He clarified that the decision to relocate the Independence Day celebration to the Eastern Region was made after the contract had already been awarded, leaving authorities with limited room to reverse the project.
According to Wayo, the office acted on directives from higher authority and could not suspend the contract simply because the original event venue had changed. Instead, the renovation works were completed to ensure the square was ready for subsequent national functions.
The explanation comes amid scrutiny over public spending, with officials maintaining that the investment was not wasted but repurposed to support another significant state event.
