David Adjaye
Globally acclaimed architectural design firm, David Adjaye
& Associates, has dismissed claims that its operations in Ghana are
illegal.
It has also refuted claims that it is being
“favored” in the award of a number of the Ghanaian Government’s
architectural contracts.
Ghanaian architectural firm, Design Associates Development
Consortium, has been protesting purported award of a number of Government’s
projects to David Adjaye & Associates.
In a protest letter to President Nana Akufo-Addo dated July
11, 2019, signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Ekow Sam, Design Associates
Development Consortium, complained about how major government projects were
being awarded to David Adjaye & Associates.
The Consortium mentioned that 12 projects namely the Trade
Fair Centre Redesign, the National Cathedral, the proposed new Parliamentary
Chamber, Bank of Ghana (BoG) Cedi House 2, Airport City 2 Design, as some of
the projects awarded to David Adjaye & Associates so far.
Again, the Consortium alleged that award process has not been
transparent and fair.
“Even where we have bid alongside this Government
preferred architect and won on merit, a decision is taken to give the project
to this architect,” it said in the letter to President Akufo-Addo.
Again the Consortium alleged that “Sir David Adjaye who
is the principal architect of Adjaye and
Associates, to the best of our knowledge, is not licensed or registered to
carry on the profession of an architect under the Architects Decree, 1968 (NRCD
357) as amended.”
The Consortium described Sir Adjaye as a foreign architect.
But David Adjaye & Associates says it is in Ghana “doing
legitimate business in the country and has not infringed any laws”.
It has also denied that there was disregard for transparency
and fairness in the award of the projects it won.
Parliament has also in a letter dated dated July 4, 2019,
addressed to Dr. Sam, clarified why it relied on restrictive tendering for the
design of controversial new Parliamentary Chamber which the aggrieved
architects have claimed was awarded to David Adjaye.
According to the letter, “Parliament wrote to and sought
concurrent approval of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) for restrictive
tendering among three shortlisted architectural design firms for the proposed
new Parliamentary Chamber.”
It said “it should be noted that Parliament’s purpose for referring the design competition to the Architectural Registration Council (ARC) was to subject the selection process to full professional scrutiny.”
BY Melvin Tarlue
The post We’re Operating Legally – Adjaye Tells Architects appeared first on DailyGuide Network.
