8 corruption scandals that has hit the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia gov’t so far

Corruption has always been a canker in every administration and politicians have continuously devised increasingly smarter ways and means of siphoning state money into private purses.

The John Mahama administration was riddled with so much corruption which eventually led to its unprecedented defeat in 2016, with the then candidate Nana Akufo Addo promising to fight corruption and retrieve funds lost to politicians and business entities through corrupt practices. 2 years into his reign and the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led administration has seen its fair share of corruption allegations and prominent among them are the underlisted.

1. $2.25 Billion bonds Saga

In 2017, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, led the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration to issue a Bond worth 2.25 Billion Dollars, but this deal was caught up in a web and fraught with allegations of insider trading and alleged accusations of conflict of interest, among others.

2. Cash for seats

News went viral that expatriates had to pay $100,000 just to sit by the president Nana Addo Dankwa. That the fees charged at the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards were not the kind of fees approved by parliament. Even though the allegations were debunked, many Ghanaians still feel it happened only that the president was not in the know.

3. Kelni GVG Deal

The company Kelni GVG won a contract with the ministry of communication to install monitors on various telcos networks to ensure government receives to monitor usage for tax purposes. The company at the center of a $179 million Ministry of Communication deal that has sparked controversy and calls for abrogation of the contract has been revealed to be a company not registered in the Telecoms Services sector, but instead into the importation of goods like cement, utensils, building and electrical materials as was reported by IMANI Ghana, a think tank.

4. Website saga

In 2017, a budget report released by The Ministry for Special Development and Initiatives purported it intended to use GH¢800,000 of tax payers’ money merely to build a new website. This was met with a public uproar of discontent causing the Minister to come out to say it the figure was wrong and that the actual figure was GHC 80,000. The explanation didn’t sit well with many as they say the move as an attempt to steal from the tax payer. The 80k amount was still seen as overly expensive.

5. Clothing allowance Saga

A total amount of GhC93,300 was splashed on six senior officials of GEPA including the fired CEO in May 2017 as clothing allowances plus GhC40,000 to take care of their furnishing in the same month. Also, the former MP of Lower West Akim directed the finance department of the state export promoter to pay her and her deputy a whopping $132,000 equivalent to GhC580,800 as a two-year advanced rent in total violation of the public service rules.

6. Ghana Maritime over expense issue

The Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Mr Kwame Owusu has been accused of overspending imregarding the use of 1 million Ghana cedis to renovate a 2 bedroom house into a four-bedroom house. He has also been accused of spending over GHc 10,000 on lunch for 8 people at a hotel he chairs. The accusations also include the spending of GHC 135,000 on an end of year party for 100 staff which he claims 500 staff instead.

7. Bost contaminated fuel scandal

The Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) was in the news over the disappearance of about 600,000 litres of its contaminated fuel. A five-member committee set up by the Managing Director of BOST, George Mensah Oakley to take stock of five million litres of the off-spec product found out some contaminated fuel had disappeared.

8. $2.5 million Ghana Post GPS app

A free app on the was already available on the market was rebranded as Ghana Post GPS and bought for a whopping $2.5 million. This led to a public bashing with allegations of corruption and waste of taxpayer’s money.

Nsemwoha