Embassy seeks funding for new house for chancery

Mr Kingsley Karimu

THE Ghana High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya is seeking $2.9 million funding for the construction of a permanent structure to house the Chancery.

The project, to be sited at the premises of the three acre dilapidated Ghana House building premises in the lavish Muthaiga Estate area, that hosts the United Nations (UN) offices and other foreign missions, according to Ghana’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Mr Kingsley Karimu would save the country millions of dollars in rent revenue.

The facility, when completed would house the administrative  unit of the chancery, apartment for six officers, a guest house for visiting officials, among other facilities.

Already, officials have submitted proposals including technical drawings and financial reports to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for approval.

The project, officials say could be completed in 24 months if approved by the Ministry , as Ecobank and Bank of Africa have presented proposals to finance the project cost.

Mr Karimu told the Daily Graphic in an interview that, presently, officials pay $1million in rent annually on the current property housing the chancery.

According to him, the dilapidated structure on the land which housed the high commission in the 1960’s, was a donation to Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah from Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta.

He said that, following a re-opening of the high commission in 2008, officials have strive to maintain the land and its assets as a way of discouraging an eventual take over by the Kenyan government, who’s officials have expressed interest in reverting the property due to lack of use.

“We believe that getting the approval process for the construction at the site  would go to consolidate the strong historical relationships between the two countries dating back to the 1940s”, Mr Karimu said.

He was of the view that the facility could create trade opportunity platforms for the country, particularly in the area of Foreign Direct Investments and therefore pleads with the Ministry to as a matter of urgency, reviewed the proposals for early approval by government.

“It is our hope that the project would serve more as a medium  to promote trade, tourism ,investment and other aspects of national endeavour”|, he said. 

The High Commissioner, who was hopeful the getting the project underway would ease pressure on the Chancery’s quest to renew rent advance on the property currently hosting the embassy also appealed to the Minister, Mr Mohammed Mumuni to endeavour to take measures that would ensure a successful implementation of the project.

SOURCE: Della Russel Ocloo, Daily Graphic, Wed, May 30, 2012