CAUCUS FOR DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, GHANA (CDG-GH)
PRESS RELEASE
1st SEPTEMER 2021
“DON’T LET NPP WALK AWAY WITH THEIR STOLEN MONEY IN 2024”
PREFACE
Sadly our country Ghana is still languishing in pervasive under-development; with its economic processes still passing through incurable hiccups. We stand at a cross road, where our socio-political identity and sustainable path to socioeconomic development – today- is being adulterated and truncated by massive insatiable corruption in an environment of mafia cum family and friends dictatorship with its brutal and tribal ramification. This observation of the Caucus for Democratic Governance, Ghana (CDG-GH) is supported by its research on corruption.
CORRUPTION
Corruption : i) a criminal act of using power and position for ones private gains, ii) using power and position for acquiring illicit benefits and iii) using power and position to exhibit fraudulent conduct, has occurred 250 times, according to our research, since Nana Addo came into office in 2017. It is not surprising therefore, that Ghana is rated the second most corrupt country in Africa.
Categories of Corruption are :
i) Fraud, ii) Fraudulent Misuse of funds, iii) Conflict of interest, iv) Nepotism, v)Bribery, vi) Embezzlement of funds.
Corrupt officials identify and exploit weaknesses within the system, that may present opportunities for corruption. They focus on the potential weakness in the enforcement of rules and regulations in the system. They explore Institutional vulnerability or processes which they exploit. Where the Government itsself is corrupt, it maximizes its exploit, by introducing terror amid insecurity, culture of silence and state capture.
CORRUPTION MISUSE OF FUNDS AT A GLANCE
On a trip to France, (in spite of presidential jet) Nana Addo chartered a luxurious class aircraft offered by Acropolis Aviation; one of most expensive, aircrafts costing 15,000 pounds an hour. The aircraft was used for 23 hours. It thus cost the Ghanaian tax payer a colossal 345,000 pounds, which gives a net cost of 2, 828,432 million GHC. The trip would have cost Ghana less than 15% of 2.8 million GHC (= 420,000 GHC) if he had opted for Ghana`s available presidential jet which is in top condition.
i. As a result of judgment debt, Ghana has to pay Ghana Power Generation Company and West African Gas Limited, a total of 1,8 billion GHC as a result of unlawful abrogation of contracts
ii. As a result of the burning of excavators and mining equipment , Ghana is paying 25 million GHC to various small scale operators.
iii. As a result of buying Covid-19 vaccines and packs of tissue papers, from dubious middlemen, at $19 instead of $10, , Ghana has lost several thousands to millions of dollars.
iv. Nana Addo`s blatant disregard to the plight of the people, decides to pay his spouse and that of Dr Bawumia a total of about 12 million GHC.
From Flagstaff House scandals to AMERI contract scandal; from ESLA bonds to Digital Addressing System fraud; from $100,00 “seat by the President” to the BOST scandal; from China Star Time to Kelni GVG scandal; from Charles Bissue, a presidential staffer`s scandal, to the two Deputy Chief of Staff – the 20,000 dollar scandal; from Australian visa scandal to bribes received by Nyantekyie “with the president in his pocket”; from the corruption scandal by former Managing Director of Maritime University to the fraudulent agreement that led to the selling of ECG to Power Distribution System (PDS); from award of contracts without Procurement review by the CEO of the National Youth Authority (YNA) to “Ken Bond”. All these corruption cases have mostly been swept under the carpet. Billions of dollars are spent on Frequent travels of the President, hiring of luxury planes and holiday trips with children and grand children; while he calls on Ghanaians to spend their holidays in Ghana. In spite of the high unemployment rate, the tax payer`s money is used for the wrong purposes .
*DETAILS OF CORRUPTION
FRAUD / App for $2.5 million*
Within the context of the definition of corruption, (CDG-GH) in its press release on the 25th October 2017, described the purchase of the App for $2.5million as fraudulent and a source of financial loss to the state. The App which can be downloaded from Google and the naming of the streets which can be done by a team of level 600 students at the Department of Geology, Legon at the cost of about 500,000 GHC was given out on contract for $2.5million.
FRAUD / $400,000 to Google.
Government’s decision to pay Google additional $400, 000 each year has been vigorously condemned by the public; describing the VOKACOM system as expensive, amateurish and an embarrassment to technology and innovation. It is important to note that VOKACOM which is partnering Ghana Post GPS to roll out the Digital Address System, has no previous experience in rolling out such a system anywhere in the world.
FRAUD / $20,000 and $100,000 payments
It is a paradox that Nana Addo, promises to deal with corruption, and yet corruption has caught up with his two deputy Chief of Staff for asking for $20,000 payment before seeing the President. Indeed corruption has entered the President`s own office through $100,000 for a “seat by the President”.
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FRAUD / Payment of 800,000 GHC
In 2017, the Minister of Special Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson decided to design a website. Instead of 80,00GHC, she quoted in the budget 800,000 GHC as allocation for the development of website. A classic example of fraud.
MISUSE OF FUNDS / AMERI
The original AMERI agreement negotiated by former President Mahama and heavily criticized by NPP has the following as basis :
1. Ghana has to pay $102 million for 5 years. The total payment is $ 510 million. After the 5years the plant becomes State property.
In 2017 when NPP came to power, they decided to renegotiate the agreement on the basis of value for money. The renegotiated agreement is as follows :
1. Ghana has to pay $75 million for 15 years. The total payment in this case, is $ 1.125 billion.
With the renegotiated agreement, Ghana looses $615 million of the taxpayers money. How would you describe this, if it is not “loot and share”. Besides the plant will be owned by a second party to be introduced into the deal after 15 years. This is absurd and “smells like fraudulent misuse of funds” leading to financial loss.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST / PPA- 50% shares
Former Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Mr Agyemang Boateng was involved in procurement misconduct. He sold government contract using a private company called “Talent Discovery” in which he, Mr Agyemang has 50% shares. A classic example of corruption and conflict of interest.
MISUSE OF FUNDS / Payment of $2.8 million
Norwegian journalist Verden Gang in June reported that Ghana through the Health Minister, had requested to purchase doses of Sputnik V vaccine through two businessmen who were selling it at high price of $19 per dose, instead of $10 per dose on International market. The middlemen were to supply 3.4 million doses produced in Russia. Health Minister, Mr Agyemang Manu is said to have paid $2.8 million of the taxpayers money to the middle men without cabinet and Parliamentary approval; in breach of the Constitution and Procurement rules.
FRAUD / GALAMSAY
When NPP took office in 2017, they decided to stop galamsay. With the help of Operation Vanguard Team, They violently drove the youth out of the galamsay and small scale mining sites; seized their bulldozers, tractors and the gold they had processed. It is now clear that the Central Regional Deputy Chairmen of the NPP and many party big whips seized and sold what they collected, because the NPP party needed money for the 2020 election campaign. As a result of the sales, they were able to earn $2.6 billion for NPP electioneering campaign. The amount of gold seized earned them $1.5 billion and the tractors they sold earned them $500 million. This is the damage NPP under Akufo Addo can do to Ghana and her citizens. For Akufo Addo, the voice of the people (which is the voice of God) does not count. The galamsayers, their wives and children lost their daily bread with no attempt to create new jobs for them.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST / Data Bank
Data Bank was formed in 1982. From 1982 – 2016, Data Bank was worth 80 million GHC. From 2017 – 2020, within 4years, when Ken Ofori Atta was Finance Minister, his Bank grew from 80 million to over 5 billion. He certainly profited from purchase of government bonds. As Minister of Finance, his company ought not to have profited from the purchase of bonds. This is pure conflict of interest.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST / Agyapa Deal
Another example of conflict of interest is the Agyapa deal where the Company of Okyere Darko and Data Bank are connected and have collected millions of taxpayers monies for services rendered. They sold the 10% assert from gold proceeds for 5 years, so that they can make their profit.
NEPOTISM / Star Times
The history of Star Times, began in 2012 when the Government signed a $90 million deal with the Star Times to supply and install the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network platform. The contract was later abrogated over the failure of the company to secure the necessary funding from China Exim Bank to execute the project.
The Government then awarded the digital migration contract to K-Net, a Ghanaian owned Company. As a result, Star Times, sued the Government of Ghana claiming an unfair abrogation of contract. An Accra court in 2015 threw the Star Times case out of court, compelling the company to seek relief in International court.
Now during the recent visit of Nana Addo to China, one of his itinerary was a special meeting with the President of Star Times after which Star Times made donations among others to the President`s wife. Back in Ghana the issue of Star Times resurrected.
The Minister of Communication secured Cabinet approval for the commencement of the expansion of the DTT to be executed by Star Times. This was followed by a permit issued by the Environmental Protection Agency for the expansion and settlement agreement for Star Times.
NEPOTISM / Demolition of Factory
In 2017, a team of military men with blessings from government entered the Trade Fair grounds in the night and demolished a complete factory of a Ghanaian Businessman, to enable friends of Government to take advantage. The factory is worth 10 million, employing 120 people. The people are now jobless and Government does not care because the citizens are not important in the eyes of the President. As long as we have the police and the Army to protect the President who closes down Ghanaian banks at will, demolishes Ghanaian factories at will, kills and wound innocent voters, clears corrupt party criminals of their offence; we cannot talk of Democracy.
NEPOTISM / IT contractor of EC
The IT contractor of the Electoral Commission, whose report and advice, to the decision to acquire led a new biometric register is no other than Jacob Osei Yeboah. Jacob Osei Yeboah is also a former Independent Candidate, and currently a Communication Director.
Besides Mr Osei Yeboah is a business partner of one of the four Companies shot listed by the EC boss for the procurement of the new biometric equipment. Indeed he is the local representative of this Company which is one of the four Companies short listed by the EC for the bidding.
FRAUDULENT DEAL / PDS Deal
In the PDS deal, friends of the President who fraudulently wanted to take over the National assert presented cooked figures to Parliament; only for the Minister of Energy to come out to confess the deal is fraudulent.
FRAUD / BOST Scandal
Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST) scandal from 2017, which involves contamination of 5 million liters of oil is still in court. Alfred Obeng sold the contaminated oil to Super Oil among others but BOST has not received any payment.
BRIBERY / sole sourcing
There are many hundreds of building contractors and architects in Ghana. It is therefore interesting that since 2017 one Ghanaian contractor based in London Sir David Adjaye through sole sourcing has twelve or more different contracts. The design for Agenda 111 hospitals alone cost $6 million and is being handled by the President.
The sole sourced contracts for Sir David Adjaye are as follows :
1. Trade Fair Company (sole sourced)
2. Afua Sutherland Park (sole source)
3. Parliamentary New Chamber (sole sourced)
4. Marine Drive (sole sourced)
5. Oil City in Takoradi (sole sourced)
6. GNPC office in Accra (sole sourced)
7. GNPC office in Takoradi (sole sourced)
8. Bank of Ghana office (sole sourced)
9. Airport City Project (sole sourced)
10. Railway Terminal (sole sourced)
11. Ghana Embassy in USA (sole sourced)
12. National Cathedral (sole sourced)
Within four years one contractor wins 12 contracts and leaves nothing for the other hundreds of contractors in Ghana. For us, this symbiosis smells like underhand relative and friends bribery and corruption. What is your view ?
Dr E.K.Hayford
Executive Director, CDG-GH
0277606338 / 0243609277
