Ghc400,000 cut in Smarttys payback cover-up – Osei Owusu

Joe Osei Owusu

The Minority spokesperson on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, Joe Osei Owusu, has described the decision by Government to review the amount of money to be returned by Smartty’s, for the controversial bus branding deal, from GHc1.9 million to GHc1.5 million, as another attempt to cover up rot.

The Attorney General, Marrietta Brew Oppong, has confirmed that the total amount to be refunded by the Smarttys Management and Productions Limited has been reviewed from the initial GH¢1.9 million to GH¢1,548,608.04.

Bus rebranding saga: Smartty's ordered to return GHC 1.9 m

According to a statement released by the Flagstaff House, this review is as a result of the revised Value Added Tax position, revised Withholding Tax position and a set-off of GH¢27,173.74 being over-deduction of withholding tax on the original payment.

Smarttys has reached an agreement with the Attorney General to pay the full amount by the end of March this year.

Mr. Osei Owusu likened these developments in the deal to a victim of theft sharing his or her property with the thief.

He said, “It’s like opening up your door wide and then letting thieves come in, steal what they want and when you catch them, you share.”

Mr. Osei Owusu also questioned certain aspects of the deal and bemoans the fact pertinent questions like the true value of the work done are not being asked.

“What was the true value?.” “How was it determined? Nobody is discussing that” he fumed.

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By Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana