Scandal Rocks CEPS Boss

STINKING SCANDAL

…Rocks CEPS Boss, Supreme Techno Security Limited & Commissioner Of Public Services Commission

…As State Loses Millions Of Cedis

By Newman Dotse

A social commentator, Mr. Joseph Bediako, has accused the managing Director of Supreme Techno Security Limited, Mr Adams, the Commissioner of CEPS and the Director of Public Services Commission of scheming to defraud the state of several millions of cedis.

Making this known in an exclusive interview with The Citizen Newspaper, he said Supreme Techno Security Limited was commissioned between 2007 and 2008 to supply and install CCTV Cameras at the Kotoka International Airport for Service Delivery Improvement and Business Process Review programme, which would help curb dubious activities that have engulfed Kotoka International Airport, the gateway to Africa in recent times but due to crass behaviour of the heads of the above mentioned institutions, the project couldn’t materialize.

Mr. Bediako said his subsequent investigation indicates that Supreme Techno Security Limited took delivery of the CCTV Cameras in mid 2007 and was paid 80% of the total sum by the then Minister in-charge of the Ministry of Public Sector Reform, now Public Services Commission, Mr. Samuel Owusu-Agyei but the Cameras were never installed.

“I have confronted Mr. Adams, the Managing Director of Supreme Techno Security Limited upon getting wind of these happenings to find out the veracity of the matter. Mr. Adams did confess taking delivery of the Cameras, thus adding that he was unable to do the installation due to circumstances beyond his control.” Mr. Bediako disclosed.

According to him, he had made this matter known to the Transitional Team in 2009, in presence of the Deputy Interior Minister, Mr. Kwabena Acheampong, adding that he went further to inform some big-shots at the Castle about these strange happenings but nothing has been done about it.

He said he (Mr. Bediako) later went to report the matter to the Deputy Commissioner of Preventive, Ghana Revenue Authority, Customs Division, one Mr. Arkweh in 2011, who later introduced him (Mr. Bediako) to the Commissioner of CEPS, who was not happy about his inquisitiveness and as a result, threw him out of his office eventually with the claim that he had no right to be asking him questions about the project.

When this reporter contacted the Managing Director of Supreme Techno Security Limited for further clarification on the matter, he admitted that he indeed took delivery of the exact number of CCTV Cameras that were required for the project but could not go ahead with the installation because CEPS and other partners involved did not give him the go ahead to do so.

According to him, he was reliably informed by the Public Services Secretariat that the project was a World Bank sponsored project but the World Bank later decided to withdraw its support, even though he was made to understand that it was the World Bank who paid the 80% of the total sum of the project to his Company, Supreme Techno Security Limited.

He said he tried on several occasions to submit the Cameras to the Public Services Commission but the Director refused to take custody of the items, hence the remaining 20% of the money that his company is entitled to, has not been paid.

Mr. Bediako conversely told The Citizen Newspaper that he suspected the Contractor (Supreme Techno Security Limited), the Director of Public Services Commission and the Commissioner of CEPS had allegedly resolved to keep the Cameras for themselves and later sell them to private individuals.

He has decried what he calls the kind of selfish, crass behaviour that exists among some public servants as well as some private business men and women who want to be rich overnight.

However, a letter intercepted by The Citizen Newspaper, written by the then sector Minister, Mr. Samuel Owusu-Agyei and addressed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning dated 15th August, 2008 with reference number PSR1/AB.07/3 stated categorically that Supreme Techno Security Limited, the company which won the bid to supply and install the Cameras, delivered the items in August 2007, awaiting the authorization of CEPS for installation.

The letter went further to state that “It will be of interest to note that an initial payment of 80% of the total sum has been made. The remaining 20% will be paid after the installation. By a copy of this letter, the Commissioner of CEPS is kindly requested to facilitate the process for the installation of the Cameras by Supreme Techno Security Limited.”

When the Director of Public Services Commission was contacted by this reporter to clear the air as to whether it was true that Supreme Techno Security Limited made an attempt to submit the cameras to his outfit for safe-keeping, he said he had no idea about the project, thus asking this reporter to rather go to Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for such clarification since the project was supposed to take place there. He later asked this reporter to find time and come to his office perhaps he may find something on the subject matter to satisfy the curiosity of this reporter. The question now is what is preventing the government from taking this matter up?

So, who is causing the delay in the installation of the equipments; World Bank, Commissioner of Public Services Commission, Commissioner of CEPS or Supreme Techno Security Limited? Watch out for more anon.

Source: The Citizen Newspaper (thecitizen.news@yahoo.com) +233 27 731 4655