Pressure is mounting on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to prove he abhors all forms of corruption by sacking the embattled boss of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Mr. Kwame Owusu, who is considered a close associate of the President.
Mr Kwame Owusu has allegedly spent about GH¢130,000 on an end of year party, over GH¢10,000 on lunch from a hotel he owns as well as an amount of one million cedis for the renovation of his 2-bedroom official residence, in a contract executed by his close cousin’s company.
In response, he had said even if his wife qualifies, he would consider her for contracts. He said he won’t be the first to do so.
“The issue about the people who did the contract do I have any relationship with them, it tells me how much you like to delve into things. Minister and Heads of State, Kennedy and the rest, they have their brothers as this and that. I know of people and the people are Ghanaians that have their rights to contest a tender and if it is because of that they will not be able to contest, I did not give it to anybody. It was run even outside of me. You are standing here asking questions because somebody happen (sic)to know me they can never do a tender in this organization? Komla that is below the belt. I did not call the guy to go and do, I said it went through tendering and he is a Ghanaian” he said.
The Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority said he will continue to give contracts to his relatives because other ministers, Kennedy Agyapong and other are doing same.
But the development has angered a lot of Ghanaians. Here is a cross-section of comments:
“The Ghana Maritime Authority boss, Kwame Owusu, is dropping calls during live interviews.
I wonder why he’s picking his calls when he’s not ready to speak to the issues to the end. He’s not sparing anyone who tries to ask him hard questions. I wish him well in this fight. The cross looks heavy but hey … ”
“President Nana Akufo-Addo come and see what the maritime boss is doing in the name of your government. He’s calling your bluff to fight corruption, with so much impunity. Nana, sack him! Nyantakyi didn’t go down for this.”
“So how did such an uncouth character get into public office? The Ghana Maritime Authority boss is another square peg in a round hole,unfit to live on our taxes.”
“Ghana Maritime Authority Boss, Kwame Owusu, why pick up calls when you don’t want to talk about the issues under discussion? You dropped the line on Evans Mensah on Joy Fm last night and just did same with Captain Smart on Adom FM, well…..we can only wish him well as he battles the media.
“Folks Like the Director-General of Ghana Maritime Authority, Kwame Owusu, Are the Reason Nana Addo Won’t Have the Moral Right to Campaign on Corruption Again”
“This Ghana Maritime Authority boss paaa. Is he serious at all, dropping calls during interviews left, right, centre. He just dropped the line on Captian Smart on Adom Fm… eiii is this Ghana?”.