Controversial 43 Presidential vehicles: Importer in fresh trouble

The woes of the man behind the importation of the controversial 43, but now 55 armor-plated fleet of vehicles for the presidency, Kwabena Boateng Aidoo, is far from over in spite of President Akufo-Addo’s directive that, government takes delivery of the vehicles.

Intelligence picked by The aL-hAJJ indicate that the contract for the importation of the vehicles is likely to suffer another jolt if ongoing probing by the nation’s security and investigative agencies into the background and alleged “dealings” of Mr Boateng Aidoo confirms fresh allegations against him.

Mr Boateng Aidoo was reported relieved of trauma the deal caused him when The aL-hAJJ recently reported that President Akufo-Addo had ordered the National Security and Finance Ministries to liaise with appropriate agencies for the vehicles to arrive in the country by next month.

However, the “sneaky” business magnate who also was a major financier of Akufo-Addo’s three presidential campaigns had his jubilation short-lived following fresh revelations of impropriety in the whole transaction. The presidency, according to a high level source at the Flagstaff House, is now awaiting the outcome of separate investigations by the Bureau of National Investigation, EOCO, National Security, and the Ghana Police Service into some suspected shady deals involving Mr Boateng Aidoo and his companies to determine the way forward.

While our source says the Presidency is in dire need of the vehicles following which, Akufo Addo directed his Ministers to take delivery of the controversial vehicles; his earlier freeze on purchase of new vehicles for government notwithstanding, “His (President’s) attention was later drawn to inconclusive investigations into some “strange activities” of the man behind the importation of the vehicles. These fresh allegations for which Boateng Aidoo is being investigative has put the President in a very difficult situation,” the source noted.



The aL-hAJJ has also gathered that, aside the ongoing investigations into the alleged dubious deals of Mr Boateng Aidoo and his numerous businesses, prominent among them; Amalgamated Security Services Ltd, Apex Consulting Services, Santa Baron Ventures Limited, PTL Solar (Gh) Ltd etc., the former Prison Service Accounts Officer turned-business-tycoon is also defending several civil and criminal law suits in courts in Ghana and overseas.

Sources told this paper that a number of Mr Boateng Aidoo’s companies have been cited in various controversial and sleaze-laden deals under past administrations. He is presently in court in Ghana with some of his business associates and Royal Bank among others.

Though a known NPP financier, Mr Boateng Aidoo, The aL-hAJJ found out, has had a good “working relationship” with the former Mills and Mahama-led National Democratic Congress administrations. His dalliance with the NDC administrations landed him juicy but, contentious contracts.

Aside his companies, Apex Consulting Services and Santa Baron Ventures Limited, being noted for impropriety in executing government of Ghana contracts, Mr. Aidoo’s Amalgamated Security Services is the company involved in the controversial $9m armor-plated vehicles ordered for Government.

Apex Consulting Services and Santa Baron Ventures Limited were two of Mr. Aidoo’s companies previously involved the importation of inferior boots for Ghana Prisons and the importation of expired 12,000 metric tons of Aluminum Sulphate (alum) for water treatment by Ghana Water Company Limited and Ghana Urban Water Limited.

Mr Aidoo, who hardly stays in Ghana spanning one week, was reported to have used Santa Baron Ventures Limited to secure another controversial US$297,475,628.00 “Contract for the Improvement of Ghana’s Security Infrastructure Request late last year.