The Ghanaian Chronicle

The Front page splash of the Ghanaian Chronicle says: "Capital Telecom Rural Telephone contract...162 billion cedis political fraud on nation, Ex-SFO boss tells court". In the accompanying story, the paper reports that the former acting Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Mr Dominic de- Graft Aidoo, has described the 162 billion cedis rural telephone contract awarded to Capital Telecom by the then Ministry of Transport and Communications, headed by Mr Edward Salia, as a 'political fraud on the nation'. "The Capital Telecom project contract which was investigated by the SFO, revealed nothing but political fraud involving people still holding political office in the country", he is quoted as saying. The Cchronicle says Mr Aidoo was giving evidence at an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Nana

The Front page splash of the Ghanaian Chronicle says: "Capital Telecom Rural Telephone contract...162 billion cedis political fraud on nation, Ex-SFO boss tells court". In the accompanying story, the paper reports that the former acting Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Mr Dominic de- Graft Aidoo, has described the 162 billion cedis rural telephone contract awarded to Capital Telecom by the then Ministry of Transport and Communications, headed by Mr Edward Salia, as a 'political fraud on the nation'. "The Capital Telecom project contract which was investigated by the SFO, revealed nothing but political fraud involving people still holding political office in the country", he is quoted as saying. The Cchronicle says Mr Aidoo was giving evidence at an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Nana
Gyamera Tawiah, in a case in which he has sued Mr Brian Anku Sapati, Deputy Executive Director in charge of Research and monitoring and Mr Theophilus Ashraku Cudjoe, Director in charge of investigations, both of the SFO. The paper names Mr Christian Aggrey, former Editor of the "Ghanaian Times" and Mr William Fayorsey, as jointly sued by Mr Aidoo. According to Mr Aidoo, he became a victim of official attacks after he had sent out copies of the Capital Telecom report to the Office of the President, the government and the Bank of Ghana. The Chronicle says Mr Cudjoe and Mr Sapati have, in their defence, denied that the SFO had sent out any official report on Capital Telecom. The paper says in 1993, the Ghana Post and Telecommunications Corporation completed exclusive studies and obtained in principle, financial agreement from a United Kingdom to fund a vast rural telephone project for the northern and southern sector of Ghana. As the project was to take off, the then Ministry of Transport and Communications ordered that the project should be taken over by a local Ghanaian company, Capital Telecom, owned by Messrs Danny Ofori Atta (Chairman) and Fred Asiedu. The Post and Telecommunications Corporation swiftly signed a memorandum of understanding with Capital Telecom, which in turn signed a contract with Granger Telecommunications of the United Kingdom to supply materials for the project, the paper says. It says there was neither invitations to tender bids nor was there any opportunity made public and transparent for investors to consider, adding that the sum involved was 45 million pounds sterling (162 billion cedis).