President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo has outlined one of the major strides his administration has made in fighting corruption and protecting the public purse.
Speaking at the Ghana Bar Association’s 2019 Conference on Monday, September 9, the President disclosed that for instance, the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has been able to save the state some $3.63 million after reviewing a cocoa fertilizer deal initiated by former President John Mahama’s administration .
That fertilizer deal, he said, was awarded in 2016 and was worth an amount of $11.5 million.
He stated that it was for the supply of 250,000 bags of ‘Asaasewura’ cocoa fertilizer.
“The contract sum amounted to $11.5 million, i.e. $46 per bag of fertilizer,” he said.
He added that “this same contract, under my administration, was reviewed by the PPA in 2018 for $7.87 million, i.e. $31.50 per bag, resulting in a savings to the exchequer of $3.63 million.”
He added that “there are many such examples.”
That notwithstanding, President Akufo-Addo is facing sharp criticisms from Ghanaians for alleged rising corruption in his administration.
Recently, Mr. Akufo-Addo had to suspend the Chief Executive Officer of PPA, A.B. Adjei, for alleged procurement malpractices that has come to be termed as ” Contracts For Sale.”
He was again forced to sack the CEO of National Youth Authority (NYA), Emmanuel Asigri, and his two deputies over alleged GH¢ 4.5 million ‘dubious’ contract.
BY Melvin Tarlue