AMIDU FUNDS READY

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Saturday September 29, 2018

Attorney General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo appears ‘shocked’ at the supposed ‘outburst’ of Special Prosecutor Martin. A.B.K. Amidu.

Mr. Amidu, a former Attorney General, has been in the news lately for suggesting that appointees of the president in sensitive positions in the government are not cooperating with his office to prosecute corrupt public officials.

However, the AG said as far as her ministry is concerned, “there’s no breakdown in the way the Special Prosecutor’s Office should handle issues and added that all the problems related to the funding of the Office were being addressed by the Chief of Staff.

Mr. Amidu, whose appointment strengthened President Akufo-Addo’s determination to fight corruption, was quoted as saying during a National Audit Forum organised by the Ghana Audit Service that “you ask for information and you can’t get it; you ask for a docket and the docket cannot be produced. You ask a minister for a record and the record cannot be produced. How do you fight corruption when those appointed by the president, who has a vision, are not coordinating with the office of the special prosecutor to achieve his mandate? That is the challenge we have to face.”

Responding to the concerns raised by Mr Amidu, the AG said all the issues raised by Mr. Amidu are being addressed by the Chief of Staff.

“I have held meetings with him (Mr. Amidu) that requires sharing ideas about the goings on in the banking industry; we have shared ideas about how we should go about investigating and prosecuting it, there’s no time that he had sought to speak with me that I haven’t spoken to him,” she told Starr FM in Accra.

On concerns over logistics, the AG said the process of resourcing the Special Prosecutor’s Office is ongoing since all the various procurement procedures must be followed to the letter.

“. . . if you begin to speak like that, it is as though the impression has been created that I have been virulent in my duty to set up that office. I’m saying that’s not the case,” she said.

Later, a deputy Attorney-General, Joseph D. Kpemka, disclosed on Multi TV channel on Joy News that there is already an ongoing process by the government to advance critical funds to the Office of the Special Prosecutor by next week.

He said the swift action is to quell misconception by a section of the public that there is a deliberate attempt to frustrate the work of the Special Prosecutor in the fight against corruption.

“Within this week and next, in terms of financial resources, something will be released. But long-term, as I have spoken about, adequate equipment are supposed to be made available, vehicles are supposed to be procured for the Office,” he said on PM Express on Thursday.

“There was no way that we could suddenly have acquired vehicles and offices and etc. before we went through the processes of passing the (Special Prosecutor’s) Bill into the law; we had to pass it into law then we can start the process of implementing it,” he explained.

Particularly, opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been using Mr. Amidu’s concerns to taunt President Akufo-Addo.

But a deputy Chief of Staff Samuel Abu Jinapor said no individual or political grouping should cry ‘wolf’ if Mr. Amidu’s Office begins to swing into full action.

He said such persons must remain ‘consistent’ and not accuse government of witch-hunting when the Special Prosecutor moves for those suspected to have been involved in corruption.

He said although there have been delays in passing the Legislative Instrument that governs the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the hiccups have nothing to do with the perceived lack of commitment by the government to fight corruption.

He said the draft legislative instrument is ready and would be laid on the floor when Parliament reconvenes.

“It was borne purely out of legal and governance constraints put on us rightly by the Parliament of Ghana,” he said.

He added that before the instrument would be put together, the law required that the Board of the Special Prosecutor’s Office be constituted and a Deputy Special Prosecutor be appointed which have since been done.

Mr. Jinapor said the government is ready to lay the document on the floor of Parliament after overcoming the ‘hurdles.’

He gave an assurance that the Office would be fully functional very soon.

IMF BOUNCE NDC OVER SINO DEAL

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday September 28, 2018

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that the $2 billion barter deal between the Akufo-Addo administration and Sinohydro Corporation of China that is going to bring about massive infrastructural development, especially in the road sector, cannot constitute a loan.

The official response from the IMF has left the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) flatfooted, as it tried to sabotage the whole arrangement recently.

It emerged that NDC took a collective decision to carry out the sabotage which was allegedly backed by former President John Mahama.

According to sources, the opposition party is pushing hard to thwart the deal so that President Akufo-Addo and his government would fail to initiate any tangible developmental projects, especially roads, before the 2020 general elections.

That way, they will turn around to taunt President Akufo-Addo for failing to significantly develop the country which would give them electoral advantage.

Official Confirmation 

Information Minister-designate, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, confirmed on radio that the IMF Team met officials at the Ministry of Finance and later the Finance Committee of Parliament and confirmed that the arrangement with the Chinese cannot qualify as a loan.

He said the IMF determined that the arrangement is not backed with a government guarantee after the NDC Minority in Parliament reported the government to the Bretton Woods institution to punish Ghana for going for a loan.

Barter Transaction 

The barter transaction is basically tied to some massive bauxite deposits in the country where the government is expected to repay with relined bauxite (alumina/aluminum).

The government has been insisting that the whole transaction is barter and also declared that the constitutional provisions used in bringing the deal to parliament do not apply to loans alone but all international agreements.

The NDC, sensing that the $2 billion barter agreement could serve as a catalyst for infrastructural development of the country and possibly dwindle its electoral fortunes, dashed to the IMF’s Office in Accra on August 10 to attempt to get the Bretton Woods institution to classify the agreement as a loan which will end up increasing the country’s debt stock.

Illegal Deal

They wanted the IMF to stop the deal because they claimed it was ‘illegal’ even though the same political grouping had helped in passing the agreement in Parliament before the House went on recess in late July.

The opposition party members on the Finance Committee deliberated on the Master Project Support Agreement (MPSA) between the government of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation Limited for the $2 billion for the construction of priority infrastructural projects before the committee’s report was laid in the House for approval.

Complex Transaction 

Last month, the IMF’s resident representative in Accra, Natalia Koliadina, in response to a letter written and signed by Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and Cassiel Ato Forson, who is a ranking Member of the Finance Committee, said she could not readily give an answer to the queries raised by the NDC because of the complexity of the transaction.”

“You asked the IMF opinion on whether the agreement between the government of Ghana and Sinohydro Corporation should be classified as government debt under the programme, and whether it would contribute to the stock of government debt,” the resident representative said.

“We will use the definition of government debt in the Technical Memorandum of Understanding which has not changed since the inception of the programme to make this decision.”

The IMF said, “Given the complexity of the transaction, I am unable to answer your question immediately. I have been in consultations with headquarters, including the Legal Department, and we are going to discuss this issue with the authorities during the upcoming seventh review mission under the Extended Credit Facility.”

DAILY GUIDE has learnt that the first tranche of $500 million has already hit Ghana’s accounts to allow the commencement of the projects.

Bawumia Factor 

The Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who led the Economic Management Team to negotiate the agreement with the Chinese, has already described the deal as a game-changer.

He said the NPP government wants to prove to Ghanaians what $2 billion can do for a nation like Ghana.

Priority Projects 

The priority projects of the government of Ghana to be funded under the MPSA comprise: rural electrification, construction of hospitals and clinics, bridges, interchanges, roads, affordable housing, fishing landing sites, and other projects that would be identified by the government of Ghana.

Tamale, the hometown of Haruna Iddrisu, will be witnessing its first interchange in history under the Chinese deal.

Finance Committee 

Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah, explained that under the MPSA, Sinohydro would be responsible for arranging the project financing for all the priority projects subject to the mutual agreement of the parties.

“Sinohydro shall be solely responsible to enter into the financing agreement (s) with any financial institution that agrees to provide the project financing,” he said when the agreement was being approved.

He also said the committee was further informed that the MPSA is essentially a “barter” facility under which Sinohydro will implement various EPC contracts for Ghana and the government repays with relined bauxite (alumina/aluminum).

Already the Integrated Alumina Development Authority Bill has been passed by Parliament awaiting presidential assent to kick-start Ghana’s industrialization process.

“To enhance and maximise the value to Ghana of its bauxite resources, the committee was informed that government, through the Ghana Integrated Bauxite and Alumina Development Authority (GIBADA), will establish a bauxite processing plant to process the raw bauxite into alumina before shipping same to service the obligations under the MPSA,” he said, adding “presently raw bauxite is said to trade at about $24/tonne on the international market whilst processed alumina trades at more than $300/tonne.”

MAHAMA HITS CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Thursday September 27, 2018

Former President John Dramani Mahama yesterday hit the ground running in his bid to lead the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) once again in the 2020 presidential election.

He superintended over the party’s worst electoral defeat when he polled 44.40% on December 7, 2016.

A statement from his office signed by James Agyenim Boateng, a former deputy minister, said Mr. Mahama and his entourage would spend four days in the Central Region.

He mentioned constituencies like Awutu Senya East and West, Gomoa East, Agona East and West, Gomoa Central and Efutu as places where they would visit, adding that “he will also visit other constituencies during his campaign tour of the region.”

“Mr. Mahama is scheduled to meet regional and constituency executives, as well as delegates of the National Democratic Congress. He will share his vision with delegates and seek their mandate to lead the NDC to victory in the 2020 election. The former president is due to return to Accra on Saturday,” the statement said.

It is unclear when the party will hold the primary to select its flag bearer as the tentative date of December 7 appears to be doubtful because the election of national executives who would oversee the primary has not been conducted.

Official Declaration 

On August 23, he officially wrote to the leadership of the NDC through the party’s general-secretary to declare his intention to contest again.

He later appeared in a short video to say that he is seeking a second shot at the presidency because he believes he owes a duty to God and the country to do so.

His declaration ended months of speculation about his intention to make a comeback.

Some of his appointees during his tenure sent the letter of intent to the NDC’s hierarchy at its headquarters at Adabraka Accra.

It’s believed in NDC circles that ex-President Mahama is the only candidate with a deep pocket to finance the party’s campaign for 2020.

Daniel Ohene Agyekum, who led the Mahama Team to the party’s headquarters, said the former president is the NDC’s best ‘hope’ of returning to power.

Mr Agyekum, a former Ghana’s ambassador to the United States said: “Despite our deep respect for all the individuals within our party who have put themselves up for the same slot, we have shown up here in this number because we genuinely believe that President John Mahama represents our best hope of a quick return to power to continue the transformation agenda for a Better Ghana as evidenced in the very good work JM did between 2013 and 2016, but which was unfortunately truncated through the obvious deception of the NPP.”

He was accompanied by former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; Valerie Sawyer; Victor Smith; Inusah Fuseini and a host of MPs. 

Mahama’s Admission

Mr. Mahama, in the short video, clearly admitted that things were not done right during his tenure which compelled the electorate to boot him out of office.

He claimed Ghanaians are currently crying over economic hardship, hence his decision to lead the opposition NDC into the 2020 election.

“I have prayed diligently about the task ahead, and I believe I owe a duty to God and my country to take our great party back to government to right the wrongs of the past and to put an end to the cries of the people under the current dispensation,” he said in a short video he posted on social media platform Facebook.

Open Secret 

It was an open secret that Mr. Mahama was lacing his boots to run for president again and used the so-called NDC Unity Walk to test the ground, and therefore submitting a letter officially to declare his intention did not come as a surprise to many political observers.

Other NDC aspirants and gurus in the party have cautioned that the NDC would be doomed if Mr. Mahama is elected to lead them in 2020 because according to them, he supervised the worst NDC electoral defeat in the history of the party.

Some have also described him as ‘damaged goods,’ who cannot win the next election, especially when the NDC has not fully assessed why it performed abysmally in the 2016 elections.

However, Mr Mahama is adamant and appears to have already set up his machinery for 2020.

Official Letter

“I am happy to confirm that I have submitted my letter to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress confirming my decision to contest the position of the flag bearer for the NDC when the party opens nominations later this year,” he said in the short video.

He explained that “In coming to this firm decision, I have pondered deeply and soberly on the socio-economic and political landscape of our country today vis-a-vis the clear path we had started to build aimed at positioning Ghana as a true middle-income country by modernizing our dilapidated social and economic infrastructure and gradually inculcating in the Ghanaian a sense of patriotism, self-belief and commitment to a one Ghana agenda.”

Groundswell of Support 

He said, “I have taken into consideration the groundswell of support, the never-ending calls and encouragement from a large section of our party elders, members of our party, supporters and Ghanaians from diverse backgrounds,” adding “the 2020 election presents our party, the NDC, with a great opportunity to offer yet again visionary leadership driven by a commitment to create opportunities for all our people, not just a few.”

The former president said “our collective victory in 2020 will end the increasing hardship, expand the base of our economy, create more sustainable jobs, ensure shared prosperity for all and pursue good governance, including peace, unity and security.”

“As a servant leader, I have listened with deep respect to the elders of our party, to members of our party and Ghanaians from all walks of life, and I am honoured to avail myself for truthful, transparent, selfless, unifying and dedicated service to the NDC, and above all to the good people of Ghana.” 

2016 Trouncing 

Mr. Mahama’s hopes of securing a second term in office in 2016 after his controversial victory in 2012 were dashed when he was humiliated at polls by then presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

With huge incumbency advantage coupled with flagrant abuse of state resources in the campaign, Mr. Mahama polled 4,713,277 votes, representing 44.40% as against the NPP candidate’s 5,716,026 53.8%, representing 53.85%.

While Nana Akufo-Addo’s votes appreciated significantly and that of NDC’s John Mahama declined, with then president-elect widening the gap with over 1,002,749 votes.

EOCO BATTLES EX-BOST BOSS

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday September 25, 2018

A former Managing Director of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) Limited under the previous Mahama administration, Kingsley Kwame Awuah-Darko is missing, according to the Economic and Organised Crime Organization (EOCO).

After publications that the anti-graft body was pursuing him, Mr. Awuah-Darko came out to say that he had always been available, but EOCO is insisting that he cannot be traced in respect of his alleged role in the ‘rot’ at BOST.

New Twist 

A source at EOCO told DAILY GUIDE exclusively that the authorities cannot trace his whereabouts and tell the nature of his purported ailment.

“We wrote to Mr. Awuah-Darko to come and assist in investigations into his leadership at BOST but there was no response,” a top source at EOCO said, adding “he is not in the country.”

He said a letter dated 27^th June was written to inform EOCO that he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment at an unnamed location outside the jurisdiction.

“We do not know where he is and cannot tell the nature of his ailment and besides there is no medical proof of his sickness,” the source added.

“We want him to assist in investigations not proxy responses. We are a friendly organization and our doors are always open. Let him fly down from wherever he is so he can assist in investigations.”

Continuing, the source added that “EOCO is a friendly organization and all we want is for him to come and assist in the ongoing investigations”.

BOST Saga 

It is turning out the GH¢40.5 million allegedly transferred from the BOST to the Mahama administration constitutes just a fraction of the mess that characterized Mr. Awuah-Darko’s leadership at the state oil facility.

The real amount of money allegedly misappropriated is believed to be in excess of hundreds of millions of cedis, according to a forensic audit report on some state-owned companies.

Some top officials of BOST have also been cited in the report for misappropriating public funds and have been asked to account for them.

Mr. Awuah-Darko, according to the forensic audit, allegedly misappropriated GH¢109,498,565 and $33,305,527, and funds transferred to the Chief of Staff alone was GH¢83,567,206 aside from the GH¢40.5 million earlier reported.

The report said the former Board Chairman of BOST Kakra Essamuah should also account for GH¢1,941,527.00 and $3,741,527.00.

According to the report, George Aborah, former General Manager, Finance at BOST, allegedly misappropriated GH¢86,418,225.00 and $8,088,986 and should ‘account’ for the money.

The report also cited Mr. Aborah for allegedly transferring GH¢40,500,000 to the Chief of Staff.

He was also cited for procurement irregularities amounting to GH¢14, 272, 126.

Mr Aborah is also to account for GH¢2,539,624.55 as “excess cash management and transfer fees charged by First Atlantic Bank.”

The report further said GKA Consultancy Services, owned by Mr. Aborah, had misappropriated GH¢2,800,000 and $647,000 and therefore should account for that amount.

Project Manager of BOST, Ato Wilson was cited for procurement irregularities amounting to GH¢14,272, 126 and should account for $9,572.34.

Awuah-Darko Rejoinder 

Last week when EOCO caused publications to be issued to the effect that it could not trace Mr. Awuah-Darko, he released a rejoinder, saying “EOCO is not and cannot be chasing me since they know of my whereabouts, so the story that EOCO is chasing me is palpably false…”

He also denied claims that he supervised the illegal transfer of huge amounts of money into an account held by the Chief of Staff (CoS) under the Mahama presidency.

Narrating how EOCO got in touch with him, Mr. Awuah-Darko said “on receipt of their letter I called the office and spoke to the DG’s assistant. I followed our conversation up with a letter which I copied my lawyers on. In my response to EOCO, I gave them my telephone number and my email on which I could be reached on. EOCO has not responded to my letter either by email or by phone to date.”

He said “they dropped a letter off in my house somewhere towards the end of March and early May, which was sent to me by my office in Accra. This account is not a fake account, neither is the Chief of Staff of the President of the Republic of Ghana a fake position.”

Forensic Audit 

The government sanctioned forensic audit was conducted by reputable international auditing firms into the affairs of those agencies and others where massive looting of state resources through procurements and deliberate stealing of money running into several billion Ghana cedis were detected.

According to the auditors, there were massive breaches of the Public Procurement Law (Act 663, 2003) and the Public Procurement (Amendment) Law (Act 914, 2016) and mentioned some of them as “inflation of contracts sums and non-performance of contracts. Others include non-enforcement and breach of contracts.”

The auditors also discovered “breach of the provision of the Financial Administration Regulation, 2004 (L.I. 1802), such as cash disbursement without authorization, deposit of public funds into personal accounts and failing to account for accountable travelling allowances.”

Sources said the revelations are just the tip of the iceberg of the corruption that characterized the previous Mahama administration.

Amidu Alert

The names of the gurus at BOST, alongside former heads of six state-owned agencies which appeared in the special forensic audit report, have since been submitted to the office of the Special Prosecutor, headed by former Attorney General Martin A.B.K. Amidu and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

Apart from the BOST where the forensic audit was carried out, the other companies equally cited for alleged wrongdoing are Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC).

FORMER GSA BOSS HOT OVER $1.2M ‘KICKBACK’

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Monday September 24, 2018

The $1.2 million kickback scandal that rocked the former Executive Director of the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA), Dr. George Ben-Crentsil, has resurfaced, with the case likely to end in court.

According to a forensic audit report, Dr. Ben-Crentsil was said to have allegedly collected $1.2 million from Lemet Construction Company; the firm that he awarded a contract to build a new training school and hostel facility for the GSA during the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration. 

Further Malfeasance 

Apart from the alleged $1.2 million kickback, the government’s forensic audit report further indicted the former GSA boss for misappropriating GH¢1,655.019 and $523,697 and has recommended that he should be made to account for them.

The Head of Procurement at GSA, Delali Sabblah, was also cited for procurement irregularities at the cost of GH¢9,156,266.

EOCO Probe 

In May last year, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) reportedly commenced investigations into allegations levelled against Dr. Ben-Crenstil.

At the time, an investigative report indicated that former executive director received $1.2 million as kickback from a contractor of the state agency.

Lemet Construction Company was said to have worked on a new block of the Standards Authority Training School at a cost of over GH¢15 million.

Spio’s Committee

The contractor did not state why he gave out the money but the report indicated Dr. Crentsil admitted receiving the cash when he appeared before a committee set up by then Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.

The money, according to the committee’s report, was paid in two installments by the contractor, the first being $1million and on another occasion, $200,000.

Part of the report read, “The executive director admitted taking money from the contractor but refused to state how much, stating it was a sensitive matter.”

In July 2012, GSA awarded the GH¢15.2 million contract to Lemet Construction Company to build a new training school and hostel facility for the Ghana Standards Authority in Accra.

Sources at the Authority say the contractor, Johnson Teye, failed to meet the deadline for completion of the project due to lack of funds and the board raised queries about the matter.

Mr Spio-Gabrah, then Trade Minister, ordered an investigation into the contract based on an anonymous letter from a management member of the Authority.

Spio later told the media that “after I received the first anonymous letter, I called the executive director of Ghana Standards Board and quizzed him on the complaints. But, when I received the second letter, I directed the board to investigate the matter. I, however, wasn’t able to take action because the report was submitted when I was leaving office.”

No Comment 

When Joy FM contacted Dr. Ben-Crentsil, he declined to comment.

The committee’s report revealed that the contractor provided materials and personnel to complete a three-bedroom storey building for Dr. Crentsil at East Legon, a suburb of Accra, but the ex-executive director denied that allegation.

He also denied ownership of a hospital at East Legon as revealed by the investigations.

Forensic Audit 

The government sanctioned forensic audit was conducted by reputable international auditing firms into the affairs of those agencies and others where massive looting of state resources through procurements and deliberate stealing of money running into several billion Ghana cedis were detected.

According to the auditors, there were massive breaches of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) and the Public Procurement (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act 914) and mentioned some of them as “inflation of contracts sums and non-performance of contracts. Others include non-enforcement and breach of contracts.”

The auditors also discovered “breach of the provision of the Financial Administration Regulation, 2004 (L.I. 1802), such as cash disbursement without authorization, deposit of public funds into personal accounts and failing to account for accountable travelling allowances.”

Sources said the revelations are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the corruption that characterized the previous Mahama administration. 

Amidu Alert 

The forensic audit report, which has cited Dr Ben Crenstil and former heads of six state-owned agencies, has since been submitted to the office of the Special Prosecutor, headed by former Attorney General Martin A.B.K. Amidu and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).

Apart from the GSA where the forensic audit was carried out, the other companies equally cited for alleged wrongdoing are Ghana Gas Company Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC).

$100M GHANA GAS CHOPPERS DEAL STINKS

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Saturday September 22, 2018

A government sanctioned forensic audit has revealed that the acquisition of helicopters worth over $61 million by Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) caused financial loss to the state because the choppers were never utilized.

The four Z-9EH helicopters bought from China for surveillance by Ghana Gas during the previous Mahama administration at the total cost of $100 million ($25m each) was commissioned by then President John Mahama in September 2015.

Financial Loss 

According to the forensic audit report, “The helicopters purchased from China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) have never been used for the purpose of its purchase, causing the state to lose $54,800,000.

It also said a loss of $5,958,366.76 was incurred because “equipment for the helicopters were not delivered even though it was part of the contract price”, while another loss of $300,000, being abnitio training cost not fully utilized for its intended purpose was caused, bringing the total to $61,058,366.76.

The report mentioned Ghana Gas Board Chairman Prof. Kwesi Botchwey and other members like Dr. George Sipa-Adja Yankey, who was the CEO of the state-owned company; Eric Yankah; Thomas Manu and Dr. Valerie Sawyerr, a former deputy Chief of Staff, should be held responsible.

According to the report, there were procurement irregularities, totalling GH¢76,802,760.39 against Memphis Metropolitan Limited (GH¢34,452,650.22) and Kingspok Company Limited (GH¢42,351,110.17) in the contract.

It also cited Kassim Baluri Bukari for procurement irregularities in the contract of Worrall Lees and Associates (GH¢1,713,375.21), as well as contracts to Technip UK Ltd and another payment made to Tullow Ghana Limited, all totalling $4,108,378.60.

Freda Maame Bartels Mensah was also cited in the report for ‘procurement irregularities’ in the contract with Adeabs Catering Services at the cost of GH¢6,688,986.56.

Valerie’s Fury

In the ensuing heat, one of the NDC gurus cited in the report has issued a statement condemning what she termed ‘deep sea fishing expedition by the government against the former board members of Ghana Gas.

Dr Valerie Sawyerr wondered how the forensic audit team could come to those conclusions without allegedly giving them a hearing, and accused the NPP government of ‘running’ what she called “roughshod over laid down rules and regulations.”

“Is the current management of Ghana Gas looking for lost helicopters? Did we take the helicopters with us when we left office?”

She continued: “Was the so-called investigator aware that the board members he listed in his ‘awam’ report were not the Ghana Gas board members on January 6, 2017, just before government changed hands? Or did a very simple thing like that escape his eager digging claws?  Did he contact the board members that came after our board to find out if the helicopters are under their beds?”

Transition Debate 

During the transition, the Co-chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), Dr. Steve Manteaw, had questioned the whereabouts of the helicopters and said they had not conducted a single surveillance activity although they were procured at a very high cost.

Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, had also insisted that the purchase of the helicopters was a rip-off.

He said initially seven helicopters were bought for $100million, but added that they were overpriced since each cost $8 million but the NDC government brought them in for $25 million each.

“The four could have just cost the nation $32 million and not $ 100 million…go to the Americas and we would get them for less instead of purchasing them at that expensive cost from China,” he queried.

Explaining how the helicopters were procured, the minister said Ghana acquired a loan from the Chinese Development Bank and added that the loan application was not presented to parliament despite opposition from then Minority NPP.

He said that with the change of power, the new government could hold its predecessor to greater accountability.

“Fortunately, the main characters in the Ghana Gas Project are still around and we can call them to come and clarify issues for us…I will demand in parliament that they come and clarify issues on the award of contracts and others,” he added.

The names of the Ghana Gas officials, alongside other heads of six state-owned agencies, which appeared in the special forensic audit report, have since been submitted to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, headed by former Attorney General Martin A.B.K. Amidu and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for investigations.

Apart from Ghana Gas, Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) have equally been cited in the forensic audit report for alleged wrongdoing.

MAHAMA GIRL IN TROUBLE OVER GH¢3.1 M MASLOC CASH

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Friday September 21, 2018

The immediate-past Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) under previous Mahama administration is likely to face prosecution for alleged corruption.

Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, according to a forensic audit report, allegedly misappropriated GH¢3,193,592 and is therefore expected to account for the huge amount of money.

Ms Attionu and other former heads of six state-owned agencies have been cited in the special forensic audit report which has since been submitted to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, headed by former Attorney General Martin A.B.K. Amidu.

Apart from MASLOC, Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC), Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) have equally been cited in the forensic audit report for alleged wrongdoing.

Documents available to DAILY GUIDE showed that forensic audit was conducted by reputable international auditing firms into the affairs of those agencies and others where massive looting of state resources through procurements and deliberate stealing of money running into several billion of Ghana cedis were detected.

According to the auditors, there were massive breaches of the Public Procurement Law (Act 663, 2003) and the Public Procurement (Amendment) Law (Act 914, 2016) and mentioned some of them as “inflation of contracts sums and non-performance of contracts. Others include non-enforcement and breach of contracts.”

The auditors also discovered “breach of the provision of the Financial Administration Regulation, 2004 (L.I. 1802), such as cash disbursement without authorization, deposit of public funds into personal accounts and failing to account for accountable travelling allowances.”

Prior to the conduct of the forensic audit, there were reports of massive corruption at MASLOC, with Sedina Tamakloe Ationu’s name allegedly featuring prominently.

In the heat of the transition in 2017, an audit report cited the ex-MASLOC boss for allegedly withdrawing GH¢500,000 belonging to the agency.

According to the report, she allegedly invested the funds in a private non-banking financial institution called Obaatanpa Microfinance but reportedly failed to pay back the money into the stated accounts of MASLOC.

The report indicated that MASLOC invested the funds in a 91-day fixed deposit with Obaatanpa Microfinance Ltd at an interest rate of 26% per annum in July 2014, but the former CEO allegedly wrote a letter on August 28, 2014 instructing Obaatanpa to terminate the investment and pay back the money.

It said that although there is evidence that the amount was paid as directed by Sedina, there is no proof of the amount having been paid back into the accounts of MASLOC.

"Mrs Sedina Tamakloe should be held responsible for the refund of the amount of GH¢500,000 with interest in accordance with regulations 61(5) of the Financial Management Act, 2003 (654),” the auditors recommended.

According to the report, over GH¢2 million was approved in 2016 for the implementation of sensitization programmes across the country but that cannot be accounted for under Ms Attionu.

The report said based on the budget, MASLOC planned outreach programmes in all 10 regions in 2016 and a budget of GH¢1,706,000 was approved by the then MASLOC Board at its 27th general meeting held on April 26, 2016, for the implementation of those programmes.

Tricycles Case 

Another scandal that hit MASLOC, which is a microfinance responsible for implementing the government’s pro-poor credit scheme, was the award of contract for the supply of 1,000 tricycles to the tune of GH¢10,000,000.

It meant that MASLOC charged the taxpayer GH¢10,000 per tricycle when on the open market it’s being sold at about GH¢5,000.

The contract was awarded on November 7, 2016, just one month to the crucial general elections even though Ms Attionu wrote to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) as far back as May 4, 2016, for approval.

It is not clear if the contract was executed in view of the change of government.

Documents showed that Crisjoe Company Limited, Spell Trust Limited and IEL Logitistics Limited were the beneficiaries of MASLOC’s alleged inflated contract through restricted tender.

Her lawyers, in a later to the media, warned all those circulating the stories about corruption allegations against the ex-CEO, threatening to sue for defamation.

Her lead counsel, Victor K. Adawudu, in a statement issued at the time, disclosed that “the said publication contains statements that are highly defamatory of our client and calculated to ridicule her person in the eyes of decent-thinking people and society as a whole.”