Suspension of PPA boss face-saving gimmick – NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused President Akufo-Addo of coverup in his handling of the contracts-for-sale scandal that rocked the Public Procurement Authority (PPA).

President Akufo-Addo suspended the CEO of the PPA, Mr A.B. Adjei, last week after allegations of conflict of interest among other infractions were broadcast in an investigative documentary conducted by journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni – titled – Contracts for Sale.

The President further referred the allegations, which include conflict of interest to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and those relating to potential acts of corruption to the Office of Special Prosecutor, for their prompt action.

Addressing a press conference Wednesday, the NDC, expressed disgust of the President’s handling of the scandal. According to the NDC’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, the party is “unsurprisingly scandalised by the expose’.

Gyamfi said President Akufo-Addo’s reactions since the expose’ had been funny and knee-jerk.

“The President has resorted to his usual face-saving gimmicks by suspending the Chief Executive Officer of the PPA pending investigations by the Special Prosecutor and CHRAJ into the matter.

“But it is the view of the NDC… that the suspension of Mr AB Adjei to all intents and purposes is not deterrent enough. We think that the damning acts of corruption which Mr AB Adjei is captured in the ‘donkomi’ documentary as engaging in including his own admissions and confessions should have at worst be met with an outright dismissal for other actions to follow,” he said.

“We believe that the suspension of Mr AB Adjei is yet another ruse which is meant into deceiving Ghanaians to see this government as one that’s committed to the fight against corruption,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo is also under intense public pressure to disband the Board of the PPA.

The Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) Linda Ofori-Kwafo had said her outfit would push for the suspension of the board of the PPA over the expose’.

She said even though, the immediate suspension of the PPA boss was commendable a lot more had to be done.

“We will be demanding for substantive action over this matter, those demands will include the suspension of the entire board of the procurement authority,” she told Starr news.