Sacking PPA boss not punitive enough - Edem Senanu

The Co-Chairman of the Citizen’s Movement against Corruption (CMaC), Edem Senanu, says the dismissal of the Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) over the contract for sale scandal is not punitive enough.

According to him, the punishment is not as weighty as it would have been if a Ghanaian with no partisan connection committed a crime of such nature.

President Akufo-Addo on Friday evening terminated the appointment of Adjenim Boateng Adjei as Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority ( PPA) following adverse findings against him by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

The Presidency in 2019 September referred conflict of interest allegations against the PPA boss to CHRAJ following an investigation by journalist Manasseh Azuri Awuni.

The CHRAJ finding which has become public among other things said: “The evidence also established a pattern of movement of large volumes of cash through the Respondent’s Bank Accounts between March 2017 and August 2019, far in excess of his known income (Stanbic Bank: USD Account – $516,225.00; Cedi Account – ¢3.83 million; Euro Account – EU54.500; UMB Bank: $110,000). The Respondent could not offer a satisfactory explanation to the source of that huge volume of cash that passed through his bank account between March 2017 and August 2019 (unexplained wealth).

“The totality of the evidence showed that the Respondent had put himself in a position where his personal interest (financial and relational) conflicted with the performance of the functions of his office as CEO and Board Member of PPA.”

Commenting on the development, Mr Senanu told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr that he expects the Special Prosecutor to also submit his report on the alleged corruption part of the scandal for proper sanction.

“The revelation is shocking because the PPA is supposed to ensure that we have value for money and protect the public purse, so it’s shocking the gargantuan amount of money that has passed through this man’s account. I can’t predict what the OSP will do but I know in the next 6 to 8 weeks, the OSP should give us a report.

“I do think that given the period that has elapsed, they have made some findings by now. I think it’s a light sanction compared to when you have an ordinary citizen have a plantain or goat stolen. So it certainly doesn’t fit the bill when you assess it. It should be sanctions that are more punitive than that”.