Disregard reports on Stan Dogbe sack - Omane-Boamah

Communications Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah has debunked claims that presidential staffer Stan Dogbe has been relieved of his position.

He has also asked the public to disregard a statement purported to be from him which claims that Stan Dogbe has been sacked and replaced by former Member of Parliament (MP) for Adentan constituency Kojo Adu Asare.

Social media was rife on Wednesday 16th March with snapshots of the false press release which has drawn sharp condemnation from some members of government.

Meanwhile, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Enterprise Support (YES), Kojo Adu Asare, has also condemned the circulation of the fake press release and entreated the public to “kindly ignore the malicious information purported to be a press release appointing me as a replacement to Stan Dogbe. Kindly treat it with the contempt it deserves”.

Stan Dogbe has come under fire with many calling for his head for his alleged role in the publication of error-ridden brochures for Ghana’s 59th Independence Day celebrations at the Black Star Square.

The errors, which brought the Flagstaff House and its communications unit into public ridicule, led to the dismissal of Mr Francis Kwarteng Arthur, who was acting Director of the Information Services Department (ISD).

Meanwhile pressure group OccupyGhana has revealed that they will seek legal redress from the court after a three-day ultimatum to government to produce information on the brochure gaffe expired Tuesday March 15.

Among other things, they were seeking answers to the following questions:

1. Which company or companies was/were invited to submit bids for the publishing, production and/or printing of the Brochures? May we have copies of any relevant letters or other communication?

2. Were any quotations received from the company or companies, and if so, may we have copies of such quotations and their covering letters, if any?

3. Which public procurement procedure was adopted in selecting the winning bid? If it was single-source procurement was the approval of the Public Procurement Authority (“PPA”) sought? May we have a copy of any letter requesting approval and all attachments to it?

4. Was the PPA’s approval obtained, and if so, may we have a copy of any letter to that effect?

5. Was a contract entered into with the company with the winning bid, and if so, may we have a copy of the signed contract?

6. Has the Ministry of Finance been requested to release funds for payment to the company with the winning bid, and if so, may we have a copy of any such letter?

7. Did the Ministry of Finance approve of any payment in writing, and if so, may we have a copy of that written approval?

8. Have any payments been were made to the company that undertook the transaction, and when? May we have copies of all the usual, relevant documents, including, but not limited to: (i) request for payment by the Ministry, (ii) release letter from the Ministry of Finance, (iii) Controller and Accountant-General’s letter to the Bank of Ghana for payment, (iv) payment advice from Bank of Ghana, and (v) any payment vouchers issued?

9. Were any taxes paid or withheld, as the case may be, particularly with respect to withholding tax, value added tax and the national health insurance levy, and if so, may we have copies of any relevant invoices?