Deputy Communications Minister George Andah has shot down calls by IMANI Africa for the abrogation of the $89.4million contract between the state and telecommunications company, Kelni GVG.
Kelni GVG, a Haitian originated company, has been awarded a contract by the government for design, development and implementation of a common platform for traffic monitoring, revenue assurance, and mobile money monitoring and fraud management—a contract IMANI has labelled as wasteful and an avenue to milk the state’s coffers.
Subah Info Solution and Afriwave, according to the policy think tank are already performing similar jobs for the Communication Ministry.
“What is perplexing from a policy and strategy point of view is the rationale behind signing a new contract when there is no clarity as to the statuses of the mandate of the previous contractors operating in this revenue assurance space.
“Indeed, there has been no such report of underperformance by the stakeholders that contracted Subah.
“The issue then is, why did the Ministry of Communications go ahead and sign a new contract under the name of a common monitoring platform for a service that is already being rendered under an existing contract by a fellow government agency?” President of IMANI Africa Franklin Cujdoe stated on Morning Starr on May 17, 2018, calling for the immediate cancellation of the contract.
In a reaction, however, in an interview with Starr News’ Ibrahim Alhassan, the Deputy Communication Minister revealed that no amount of pressure will compel the government to cancel the controversial contract.
“We are focusing on the work that we have to do. We will not be distracted. Yes, it is our responsibility to educate Ghanaians [on the contract].
“I have a duty, the Minister has a duty to respond to concerns that Ghanaians have raised and that is exactly what we are doing. We won’t be distracted. We will focus and make sure that we monitor the revenue,” he stated.
When asked by Ibrahim if he believes there is enough reason for the contract not be terminated, the Deputy Minister replied: “I don’t think there is reason for that consideration.”
The Kelni GVG contract upon its signing stipulates that a payment of $1,491,225 be paid monthly for a 5-year period, amounting to a total of USD 89,473,500.
Per the terms of the contract, which was signed in December 2017, the monthly payments are supposed to begin no later than 30 days after the contract was signed.
This, by inference, means that the state through the Ministry of Communications owes at least $5.96 million as of May this year.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
