Nursing and Midwifery Council blows GHC600K on CCTVs

Class News has intercepted documents showing that the registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Felix Nyante, and his management team, have blown almost GHS600,000 on procurement and installation of CCTV cameras, without going through procurement procedures.

Documents in possession of Class News have revealed that the registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council spent about GHS600,000 to procure and install 42 CCTV cameras at the Council’s head office at Okponglo in Accra.

The procurement and installation, which cost GHS549,260, were in breach of the standard procurement procedure, sources told Class News. The procurement and installation of the cameras were done before seeking approval from the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) months after.

Senior Administrative Officer, Mrs Mercy Avogo sent an internal memo on 17 September 2015, to the chief accountant, Mr Omaro Salifu, requesting 50 per cent payment of the bill. The 50 per cent, totalling GHS 263,351, was subsequently paid to Jin Hong Yi Limited on 14 October 2015, for installation.

The contract was awarded to Jin Hong Yi through sole-sourcing. The company completed installation of the cameras within the same month. However, documents intercepted by Class News indicate that a letter of procurement was sent to the Public Procurement Authority to seek approval for a restricted tendering on 5 January 2016, more than three months after the installation of the cameras, in breach of the procurement laws.

The letter named four companies, including Yutees Security Company Limited, Windtouch Company Limited, IT Security Services, and Jin Hong Yi limited. A response letter from the Public Procurement Authority dated 29 January 2016, gave the Council the go-ahead for the restricted tendering process to procure and install the video surveillance system.

Some staff who raised alarm about possible corruption, Class News learnt, were not given any hearing. They petitioned Health Minister Alex Segbefia over an alleged corruption in the deal but the Minister is yet to act on it.