The Public Accounts Committee has indicated its readiness to summon public officials, Bright Oduro-Kwateng and Theophilus Okine over claims involving GHC 8.2 intended for the construction of household toilet facilities under the former Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources’ Toilet for All project.
According to the Ministry for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, efforts to verify the claims have been hindered after the officials indicated that the supporting documents had been forwarded to the National Archives.
The Minister for Local Government, Ahmed Ibrahim, disclosed to the Public Accounts Committee that although mobilization funds were paid, no work was executed.
He further revealed that the previous government had initiated steps to abrogate the contract and re-award it for execution.
”Truth of the matter is that this transaction took place at the erstwhile Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, and it was under the leadership ofhonourablee Cecilia Abena Dapaah. And I think it was 2019, so even though we are in 2026, it is five years or six years now. So we did our best, but the good news is that the officers who handled this transaction are still at post in other ministries,” he said.
The Minister continued that the public servants involved in the saga have been re-assigned to various ministries.
“The Director for Procurement was one Mr. Theophilus Okaine. He is still at the Ministry of Defence. And Mr. Bright Oduro-Kwateng, he is now Director of Finance at the Ministry of Trade and Agro-Business. So they are still alive, they are still in public service, and I don’t want to be a victim of what the Bible says, that I was made to answer questions for which I know I have no idea about,” he said.
Ahmed Ibrahim also questioned why the contract documents was moved to the Ghana Archives.
“I don’t know, the thing is not up to ten years, and you’re saying that they’ve been sent to archives. Mr. Chairman, we have the names of the contractors here and the contracts, and it has to do with the government policy of Toilet for All before 2020. They were given mobilization, and they didn’t go to the site,” he stated.
Ahmed Ibrahim further gave the breakdown of the contract as “construction of 300 household toilets in Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, construction of 200 household toilets in Tamale, construction of this, and this.”
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The Minister promised to make the details of the contract available to the Public Accounts Committee.
“The contractors and their names with the amount are here, and we’ll make them available to the committee. You call them, and my directors are ever ready to give whatever information you want us to give to you,” he assured.
The ranking member on the Public Accounts Committee, Samuel Atta Mills, subsequently directed that the officials involved be hauled before the Public Accounts Committee.
”Also invite the minister and the current people out there, and wherever the documents are, they will have to come with them. You pay somebody mobilization to go and work, the person doesn’t do it, takes the money, then you come back you want to abrogate this contract, repackage it and give it to somebody.
He further questioned why the Ministry made payments for works which were never executed.
“Now what I don’t understand is the Ministry of Local Government; you were making payments for contracts that you don’t have the contract. You don’t have the document. Anyway, when all of you come, we’ll do it live,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
