Professor Stephen Adei
THE Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Professor Stephen Adei, has denied ever conniving with the Finance Minister “to engage in criminality” by understating revenues that are mobilized by the tax administration as claimed by ex-President John Dramani Mahama.
The flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) recently accused Prof. Adei of being involved in criminal act at the Authority, alleging that Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, in connivance with the GRA Board Chairman, acquired a commercial loan to plug the deficit in the domestic revenue target for the 2019 financial year.
“Some of these things have been very criminal and I am surprised that Prof. Adei as Chairman of GRA could connive to do something as criminal as this,” Mr. Mahama stated during a TV interview.
However, the former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) has strongly refuted the allegation against him and described it as untrue, false and malicious.
“I, Emeritus Professor Stephen Adei, wish to state that the allegation is untrue, false, malicious and unbefitting of someone who has been a Head of State and seeking the mandate of Ghanaians for another term in the high office of the President,” he said in a statement.
According to Prof. Adei, for the NDC leader to “allege criminality and impinge on my integrity as a citizen with an unblemished career as an economist, diplomat, former Rector, Emeritus Professor of Leadership and Economics, as well as one who is ethically not an ashamed born again Christian, theologian and preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is most unfortunate John, and to do so by taking advantage of social media is regrettable.”
He asked the NDC Presidential Candidate to apologize to him for his “malicious” allegations or he would advise himself after December 7 since he did not want to distract the ex-President from his effort of staging a comeback.
“I, therefore, seek an unqualified apology from H. E. John Dramani Mahama, or I will advise myself after December 7 as I would not like to distract him from his seemingly desperate effort to win the forthcoming elections by any means,” he stressed.
Prof. Adei also asked Mr. Mahama to again provide evidence to his claim that a payment of GH¢15,000 was made before people were employed at GRA.
According to him, this would enable the board and management of GRA to fish out the culprits and surgically deal with them as required by law.
By Ernest Kofi Adu