Previous board approved SSNIT’s $66m software deal – Prof. Alabi

Prof. Alabi

A former board Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Professor Joshua Alabi has distanced himself from the contract that procured a $66 million software for the Trust.

The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is currently investigating five officials of SSNIT for their alleged involvement in the acquisition of a OBS software.

Reports say the software was to network all branches of SSNIT across the country to enable them to receive real time data directly to the headquarters in Accra and enhance efficiency.

Speaking to Citi News on the development Prof. Alabi said his board queried the contract when their attention was drawn to it.

He said “what really happened was that…management went beyond the approved figure and brought it to the board for ratification and we queried it and this is in the minutes.”

“It was awarded before my board. The management went beyond the contract sum without recourse to the board; they came to the board for ratification and queried it. But then I really want to believe that the previous board really took into consideration the operations of SSNIT before awarding that contract. The management also explained to the board that there was some unforeseen expenditure that occurred and that is why they went beyond their contract sum but then we queried it because we said they should have brought it to the board for discussion and approval before awarding it,” Prof. Alabi added.

5 under investigation 

About 5 people are currently being investigated by the EOCO for their involvement in the acquisition of the software.

The Director General, Finance, Administration and MIS at SSNIT, Mr. Michael Addo explained that investigations would throw more light into the purchase of the software.

“SSNIT acquired a new operating system called OBS; it is designed to improve SSNIT’s operating processes, to make if fast so that we can all network before then we had a hot spot of different systems that we were using. We did spend quite a little bit of money on that to acquire the software and the hardware,” he said.

The previous board which steered the affairs of SSNIT from 2009 to 2013 was chaired by Mr. Kwame Peprah and had members including:

Mr. Peter Kofi Otoo Addo (Government Nominee) – Member
Mrs. Sati Ocran (Government Nominee) – Member
Hon. Fifi Kwetey (Rep. of Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning) – Member
Nana Fredua Agyeman Pambuo 1/Mr Terence Ronald Darko (Rep. of Ghana Employers’ Association) – Member
Mr. Theodore Gyau (Rep. of Ghana Employers’ Asociation) – Member
Mr. Kofi Asamoah (Rep. of Organised Labour) – Member
Mr. Abraham Tetteh Dian Okine (Rep.of Organised Labour) – Member
Mr. Kwame Amo-Dako (Rep. of Organised Labour) – Member
Mr. Robertson Nii Akwei Allotey (Rep. of Organised Labour) – Member
Lt. Col. Jacob Hester Blood-Dzraku (Rtd.) (Rep. of Security Services) – Member
Mr. Solomon Laryea Tawiah Yemoson/ Mr Theodore Nee Okpey (Rep. of Nat. Pensioners’ Assoc.) – Member
Mr. Kwasi Boatin/Dr Frank Odoom (Director General, SSNIT) – Member
Mrs. Gifty J. Annan (Company Secretary) – Secretary

SSNIT software project cost $72m, not $66m – SSNIT boss

The controversial OBS software procured by Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), cost $72million and not $66 million as widely publicized in the media.

This was revealed by the Director-General of the SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori Tenkorang in an interview with Citi News.

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Previous board approved SSNIT's $66m software deal – Prof. Alabi

He said SSNIT was incurring more cost over the software because it intermittently experienced challenges that required technicians to rectify.

Dr. Tenkorang said the $72 million included the cost of the original tender, subsequent modifications, and yearly support fees.

He further indicated that the $72 million cost will continue to appreciate until the system is fully deployed and works effectively.

“…so the number is still ticking and it’s running so the number is huge, I can tell you it’s in excess of $66million..The last time a number was communicated to me, the number stood at $72million but I can tell you that the system is still not functioning as it should and each time we have to make revisions or get certain corrections made, these things are billed as change requests which are also billable so until the system is fully deployed and working properly, there is a chance that the number will be bigger than what I’ve actually mentioned to you right now,” he said.

Meanwhile, a former Director-General of SSNIT, Dr Ernest Thompson, has said there is nothing wrong with the $66million software contract approved by the previous board.

About 5 people are currently being investigated by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for their involvement in the acquisition of the OBS software.

The Board Chairman of SSNIT, Kwame Addo Kufuor in an interview with Citi News said about 15 people have already appeared before EOCO as witnesses.

The software was to help in networking all branches of SSNIT across the country to enable them to receive real-time data directly from the headquarters in Accra and enhance efficiency.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

SSNIT $72m scandal: Ban curlpits from public service – Bright Simons

Persons found culpable in the $72 SSNIT OBS software scandal must be, at least, barred from ever serving in public office, Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has said.

According to him, it was high time Ghana started the raising the bar for persons who serve  in public office.

SSNIT interdicts MIS Manager over suspicious university degrees

SSNIT software project cost $72m, not $66m – SSNIT boss

Five under investigation over $66m SSNIT software deal

“Public officials have accountability based on a very high bar so it is not just that I am not a criminal so I am fine. Your performance must be above bar. That is the standard we must hold them to,” he said on Eyewitness News.

“So if we have a particular official has been shown to be completely inconsiderate about the aspirations and the well-being of Ghanaians, we must begin to start banning some people from public office entirely.”

Mr. Simons suggested that an ethics committee be set up to probe such cases outside a context of conventional prosecutorial grounds.

“We need to start looking at an ethics committee within a public services commission, not on minimal prosecutorial grounds… the ethics committee, within the public service commission, should say; your conduct simply fell short of the very high standards we expect of Ghanaian officials and we don’t want you holding public office in Ghana anymore.”

About five people are currently being investigated by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for their involvement in the acquisition of the OBS software.

The Board Chairman of SSNIT, Kwame Addo Kufuor in an interview with Citi News said about 15 people have already appeared before EOCO as witnesses.

It was initially thought the software was inflated to $66 million but the Director-General of the SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori Tenkorang explained that the cost increased because it intermittently experienced challenges that required technicians to rectify.

Dr. Tenkorang said the $72 million included the cost of the original tender, subsequent modifications, and yearly support fees.

He further indicated that the $72 million cost will continue to appreciate until the system is fully deployed and works effectively.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Secret tape wahala: Boateng Gyan admits voice is his but…

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National Organiser of NDC, Yaw Boateng Gyan The National Organiser of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Boateng Gyan, has admitted that the voice on a secretly recorded tape of a meeting between suspected NDC loyalists and a top party functionary scheming about the 2012 elections is indeed his. He however insists the conversation had nothing to do with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and also contained no diabolical plans for the December poll. The 35 minute tape, suspected to have been recorded during a meeting at an unknown location, has Mr Boateng Gyan telling the audience about the party’s plans to draft them into a Special Force whose members would later be given National Security identification cards to enable them to move freely and cause trouble in some parts of the country during the national elections. He noted that plans were far advanced by the party to issue the National Security ID cards to them, but the NDC was being careful due to the manner in which some of them behaved in public some time ago when the party engaged their services. According to the voice, the National Security office would, at the eleventh hour, complain about lack of staff to properly police the December poll, and the NDC would then quickly push the Special Force members into the National Security for training so that they could work for the party under the guise of being National Security operatives. The voice also charged them to find out the likely effects of the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which had just received its provisional certificate from the Electoral Commission, on the chances of the NDC in the December 7 polls. The NDP was formed by disappointed or disgruntled former members of the NDC. Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is believed to be behind the formation of the party. However Mr Boateng Gyan, speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Wednesday September 5, 2012 insisted he did nothing wrong in seeking to find the likely effects of the formation of a new party on the NDC electoral chances. He also expressed doubt about the veracity of parts of the tape, suggesting it may have been doctored. “I am the National Organiser of a national party with two deputies, and we cannot be everywhere, so it is only natural that we have people who go out to gather information for us. Any party that does not have such a mechanism is not serious. “This was a conversation with such persons to find out those behind the formation of NDP and NDC persons who want to leave to the new party so we can approach them and talk to them to rescind their decision. Everybody knows the people who make up the NDP are all members of the NDC, and as a party we have to be concerned about people leaving our party. “The conversation was about NDP, which had just received provisional certificate, not NPP at all.” However, MP for Assin North, Kennedy Agyapong, insisted that the conversation, which was initially about the effects of the formation of the NDP, eventually developed into “dangerous” plans to create violence and chaos and link it to NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo’s call of “All die be die,” meant to encourage his party faithful but seen as others as a call to arms. Mr Agyapong also claimed the young men at the meeting, aware that the training and assignment they were being sent to was dangerous, asked for provision to be made for their wives and children in the event of their death. “There were also references to me and my lawyer Ayikoi Otoo and plans to deal with us” he alleged. However, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan maintained his innocence, although he acknowledged that the two names were mentioned at the meeting. Kennedy Agyapong advised Mr Boateng Gyan to be mindful what he says when he meets with his party people, “because you may fall out with them and you don’t know who may be recording your conversation.” He hinted that he also had a secretly recorded tape of the late President Mills engaged in a damning, heated argument with an NDC member. The tape, he said, was sent to him by someone very close to the late president

Yaw Gyan’s statements worse than Kennedy Agyapong, arrest him – NDP

The acting General Secretary of the newly formed National Democratic Party (NDP) has piled further pressure on the embattled National Organiser of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) with a call on the security agencies to cause the arrest of Yaw Boateng Gyan for his ‘dangerous’ comments.

If the Police and other agencies fail to do so, it would be incumbent on President John Mahama to “order his arrest, set up a commission and demand answers,” Dr Mamboa Rockson has advocated.

Dr Rockson, who believes the NDC Organiser’s comments are ‘worse’ than those made by NPP MP for Assin North Kennedy Agyapong, made his demand when he spoke on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show hosted by Adakabre Frimpong Manso on Thursday September 6, 2012.

The NDP Secretary, who said he was “appalled and disheartened that such a person would make plans to destabilize the NDP”, was commenting on the contents of a 35 minute tape, suspected to have been recorded during a meeting at an unknown location.

Mr Boateng Gyan tells the audience about the party’s plans to draft them into a Special Force in the military whose members would later be given National Security identification cards to enable them to move freely and cause trouble in some parts of the country during the national elections.

There were also discussions on ways to link such violence and chaos to NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo’s call of “All die be die,” meant to encourage his party faithful but seen by others as a call to arms.

According to the voice, the National Security office would, at the eleventh hour, complain about lack of staff to properly police the December poll, and the NDC would then quickly push the Special Force members into the National Security for training so that they could work for the party under the guise of being National Security operatives.

The voice also charged them to find out the likely effects of the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which had just received its provisional certificate from the Electoral Commission, on the chances of the NDC in the December 7 polls. The NDP was formed by disappointed or disgruntled former members of the NDC. Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings is believed to be behind the formation of the party.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Wednesday September 5, 2012 Mr Gyan admitted the voice was his, but insisted he did nothing wrong in seeking to find the likely effects of the formation of a new party on the NDC’s electoral chances. He also expressed doubt about the veracity of parts of the tape, suggesting it may have been doctored.

Dr Mamboa Rockson wondered about the disconnect between the public calls for peace being made by officials of the NDC including the National Organiser, and their private plans for the nation. He was particularly troubled by the effect Mr Gyan’s statements would have in the international community about Ghana’s military and their allegiance to the state.

“Why will he (Boateng Gyan) use illegal structures? Why will he go and recruit soldiers and use them as hit-men for his party? What he is telling the whole world is that there are hit-men among our military, and they have allegiances and they are ready to take out people. He is telling us there are now hit-men roaming the whole country ready to take out officials of NDP.

“What he has done is illegal, criminal and he must answer. Others have said less things, and they took them to the cleaners. This is more than what Kennedy Agyapong said, but see what happened to him.

“One of our members, Owusu Bempah made a simple comment, and he was picked up by the police. A member of the NDC, Kofi Adams, his voice is suspected to be on a tape and they have suspended him; they have not given him a fair hearing.

“People have been talking about peace, and if a credible officer of the NDC can say this, with the clear intention of crippling a new political party, obstructing democracy, then he must be made to face the law. Such comments to the entire NDP is offensive, and he must be arrested immediately or called to police headquarters and questioned, and if found culpable, must face the law. If the police refuse, the President should order his arrest, set up a commission and demand answers.”

Also commenting, suspended Deputy NDC General Secretary Kofi Adams said the development “does not augur well for the security of our polls, especially the aspect where they say the EC doesn’t have enough personnel to supervise poll so they will rush in.

“It is different if you hear about a national recruitment exercise in the military and the rest and you help, but not when you are training people and giving them different identity.

“I believe the party will hold an emergency meeting to respond, because there are aspects of the issue that affect the party. I believe the state institutions are also preparing to come out.

Gbevlo Lartey: NDC Organiser to be investigated over leaked tape

Gbevlo Lartey

National Security Coordinator, Larry Gbevlo Lartey says he will invite persons connected with a leaked tape in which NDC National Organizer, Yaw Boateng Gyan is heard plotting to infiltrate the national security for electoral purposes.

Mr. Boateng Gyan intends to issue national security identity cards to NDC agents to enable them undertake operations on behalf of the ruling National Democratic Congress.

Mr Boateng Gyan who has admitted the voice on the leaked tape is his, cautioned some party agents he was addressing against misusing the IDs, saying such behavior in the past had been problematic for the party.

Colonel Gbevlo Lartey, reacting to the comments of the NDC National Organiser on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Thursday, stated emphatically that at no point in time had his office issued national security IDs to any individual affiliated with any political party.

He said Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan’s assertions were false because “no such thing has been done in the past” and that the national security office was an office of the state and not an office of any political party.

“We have not issued any card to any party people, and we have had no such discussions any party people,” he added.

“We have enough hands to do the work that we have to do. We don’t need the assistance of the parties to do our work.”

Asked whether Mr Boateng Gyan will be investigated, Colonel Lartey noted: “…Definitely, once this has come out we are going to call people and question them and interrogate them…”

Prez Mahama must deal swiftly with Boateng Gyan – Dr. Bawumia

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia

The Vice-Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has challenged President John Dramani Mahama to walk his talk by bringing the NDC National Organizer to order after the latter’s plan to infiltrate the nation’s security services was exposed.

According to Dr. Bawumia, the comments by Yaw Boateng Gyan have implications on the nation’s security and ought to be treated with all the seriousness it deserves.

Speaking to Citi News from the Brong Ahafo Region where he is currently campaigning, Dr. Bawumia stated that the NDC organizer’s comments serve as a test case for President Mahama’s resolve to ensuring peace in the upcoming elections.

“Anything that threatens peace and stability in this country should be dealt with,” Nana Akufo-Addo’s running mate said.

“I think this is just not talk, but action and as we are heading for elections I will like to see a very swift reaction by the President to bring to book Yaw Boateng Gyan for this statement and the people that he was conniving with to destabilize the security of this country.”

He added: “The President has said that he is committed to peace and I will like to see a demonstration of the sincerity of that commitment in dealing with this particular issue of plans to infiltrate the security to disturb the security of this nation.”

Mr. Boateng Gyan has admitted being the one speaking on the leaked tape, but insists he has no intention to derail the peace of Ghana.

The National Security Coordinator, Col. Gbevlo Lartey, has served notice his outfit will invite the NDC kingpin for questioning.

Gbevlo Lartey can’t investigate Boateng Gyan – Jake

Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey

The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, is doubtful about the National Security Coordinator, Col. Larry Gbevlo Lartey’s, neutrality in investigating the National Organizer of the NDC since his office has been implicated in the leaked tape.

Col. Lartey on Thursday served notice to personally head the team that will question Yaw Boateng Gyan over comments on a leaked tap intended to recruit party members into the Special Forces of the Ghana Army.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey in an interview with Citi News said the Police would have done a better job.

He stated that “this is a straight forward police matter and not the National Security body that has already been implicated in the tape itself.”

According to Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey, the police are the first line of defense regarding our safety in this country and they should be empowered “to move against anybody, no matter how high or low in any political party.”

“The police refused to move in Chireponi, they refused to move in Agbogbloshie, they refused to move in Tamale, Atiwa and in Akwatia. All these places, the police have so far refused to move.”

He added: “The police are now telling us that they are setting up their intelligence capacity in advance of the general elections. Why would you want to set up an intelligence capacity when you don’t want to act on whatever it is that you find out when the thing is blatantly under your nose?” asked Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey.

He further stated that Mr. Boateng-Gyan’s comments need no intelligence capacity to access the tape “because you can get it from the radio stations that have been playing it.”

The NPP national chairman admonished the Police Service to “actually start taking some serious actions and show the people of Ghana that it will move no matter whose office is involved.”

By: Citifmonline.com/Ghana

Amidu hangs Okudzeto

By Emmanuel Akli

The perception that the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa has taken over the roles of substantive Ministers posted to the Ministry of Information, making almost all of them redundant, was re-echoed by the former Attorney General

and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu, on Oman FM in Accra yesterday, where he accused the vociferous Deputy Minister of usurping the powers of his Ministers.

“Ablakwa has overgrown his wings. Due to such actions of his, he undermined the authority of his former Minister, John Tia Akologo, rendering him (Tia) virtually useless,” he said.

Since President Mills assumed office as President of Ghana in 2009, he has appointed three Ministers to man the Information Ministry. They are Zita Okaikoi, John Tia Akologo and now Fritz Baffour, but the voice of the Deputy Minister overshadowed these Ministers, with him even signing a statement emanating from the presidency.

As a result of this deafening voice, two of the Ministers -Zita and Akologo – were booted out after spending a little over a year in office. The current Minister, tall and bulky Fritz Baffour, also seems to have remained quiet on a number of national issues, with the young Okudzeto-Ablakwa still running the show.

One of the new lawyers called to the bar, Mr. James Agyenim Boateng, was first appointed Deputy Minister at the Information Ministry, but was reshuffled and sent to the Tourism Ministry. He was recently brought back to the Ministry.

Another tough talking Deputy Minister, Baba Jamal, was also reshuffled from the same Information Ministry, leaving Mr. Okudzeto-Ablakwa, who has remained seemingly untouchable.

But, whether Mr. Baffour and James Agyenim Boateng would remain at the Ministry or not, is not known.

Mr. Martin Amidu, however, thinks the young Okudzeto-Ablakwa had overshot his bounds, and must be reined in.

According to the former Minister, whilst in office as Attorney General (A-G) and Minister of Justice, he had a call from Okudzeto-Ablakwa, asking him to pay judgment debt to a Spanish company, ISOFOTON, when he was already in court fighting the same company over the claim it had made against the government.

Amidu noted that he was dumbfounded by the conduct of Mr. Okudzeto, because as a Deputy Minister he had no powers to pick a telephone and ask him, the government solicitor, to pay a judgment debt to an individual or company.

He argued that if there should be any call at all, it should come from the sector Minister, who was then Mr. John Tia Akologo, and not Okudzeto-Ablakwa.

He further elaborated that even if the Minister was not around, Okudzeto-Ablakwa should have waited for him to come and receive the letter, after which the letter could take the necessary steps to pass it on to the A-G’s office.

The government is still in court over the ISOFOTON $1.3 million judgment debt, which Okuzdeto-Ablakwa is currently at the forefront fighting over it.

Reacting to the allegation made against him by the former A-G on Joy FM yesterday, the Deputy Minister admitted that he called the ex Minister in connection with the payment for ISOFOTON, but argued that the decision was based on a petition he received from the lawyers of the Spanish company, over the refusal of the A-G to pay them.

When asked why he should be the person to receive such a petition when the substantive Minister was around, Okudzeto-Ablakwa struggled to tell the interviewer that at the time the petition was brought to the Ministry, his Minister was not around, so it was handed over to him.

Okudzeto-Ablakwa could not properly explain why he could not wait for his Minister to arrive from his travel, since the petition was personally addressed to him (substantive Minister), but he decided to take it upon himself to call the A-G, suggesting that the money being demanded should be paid to the company.

Short URL: http://ghanaian-chronicle.com/?p=45919

Posted by Ghana Pundit at 6:48 PM

Betty Dodges Woyome

Journalists who eagerly thronged the Ghana International Press Centre on Thursday to grill former Attorney General Betty Mould-Iddrisu over her role in the judgment debts paid during her tenure as Attorney General in 2009, were surprised by her refusal to answer specific questions, especially on the Woyome saga.

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu’s handlers barred journalists from asking questions about her role in the Woyome judgment debt scandal.

A question bordering on her resignation from the Mills government was promptly brushed aside.

The conference, which was called between 7pm and 8pm, was inundated by National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters, with some holding placards in her support, creating an eerie atmosphere for the journalists.

Gifty Andoh of Joy News got caught up in a heated argument with NDC fanatics who tried restraining journalists from asking questions. “This is a press conference,” she reminded the irate party goons.

Eventually, when the floor was cleared for questions, curiously, journalists were told to confine their questions to the Construction Pioneer (CP) scandal even though Mrs. Mould-Iddrissu’s counsel, Nana Ato Dadzie, had earlier promised to give the media unrestrained access to the embattled former Attorney General.

Eventually, the journalists had to ask questions on only the €94million controversially paid to CP in 2010 under the supervision of Madam Mould-Iddrisu.
The press conference was basically chaotic as party supporters and journalists were engaged in a scramble for the press statement after the conference.
The beleaguered former government’s chief legal advisor declined answering questions about other shady judgment debts which she allegedly directly supervised.
They include the GH¢51.2million fraudulently paid to businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome which has become an albatross around the neck of the NDC.
Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu also declined answering questions relating to her unceremonious resignation from the Mills government in January 2012.
Even though there are speculations that she was forced to resign as Minister of Education, the former AG would not want to be drawn into her resignation matter.
She would be facing the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, 17th July, 2010 to answer questions on her role in the CP multimillion settlements that have generated intense debate nationwide.
Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu was the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice when the state failed to put up a defence on the suit filed by businessman Alfred Woyome for judgment debts over the abrogation of an alleged contract with the government in 2006, for the rehabilitation of three stadiums.
She resigned in January following the brouhaha over the payment of judgment debts in the Mills administration. She has remained practically silent over the reasons for her resignation.

Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu was the second Cabinet Minister in the Mills Administration to have exited from Government over the Woyome judgment debt. Martin Alamisi B.K Amidu was fired earlier this year over the same judgment debt scandals.

Source: Raphael Adeniran/d-gUIDE