This country is a crime scene with this government in place – Suhuyini

The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini has described the country as a crime scene due to recent happenings.

He cited the $2 million payment by the government to Ai Sky Train Consortium Holdings; investors for the Sky Train deal, which is yet to obtain a license in the country.

In a 3News.com report, the Tamale North MP began by emphasizing that these are challenging times for all Ghanaians, and therefore, state funds should not be squandered in such a manner.

“These are hard times for Ghanaians, the mid-year budget is coming, and we are told to expect an increase in taxes and the introduction of new taxes because our country needs more revenue. More revenue for what? For these kinds of transactions? $ 2 million here, hundreds of millions of Ghana Cedis there without any benefits to us,” he said.

According to him, the Attorney-General, Godfred Dame should be proactive in saving the state money and retrieving lost funds.

“If for nothing at all the Attorney-General must up his game, these are the things that the Attorney-General must concern himself with.

“Clearly, the Attorney-General must be busy with things like these in saving the state money and retrieving these lost funds to the state at a time the state badly needs money to pay picketing pensioner bondholders, to pay food suppliers and uniform suppliers,” he indicated.

Suhuyini also raised concerns regarding the awarding of a contract for school uniforms to a single individual who travels to China to print them and determines the price for all buyers, noting that it warrants a separate discussion.

“The uniform suppliers are another kettle of fish. How do you give a contract for school uniforms to one person who goes to China to print them and come and determine the price for all to buy, that is another discussion.

“This country is a crime scene with this government in place. I am happy that the leadership of the Minority has taken up this particular matter and is demanding action from the Attorney-General for this money to be retrieved,” he added.

Background

Ranking Member on Roads and Transport Committee in Parliament, Governs Kwame Agbodza called for the repayment of $2 million that was paid in 2019 as a premium for the Accra Sky Train Project.

This demand came after the Auditor General's 2021 report categorized the transaction as a net liability.

The payment was made through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund's acquisition of 10 ordinary shares in the Ai Sky Train Consortium Holdings.

The Ranking Member on Roads and Transport Committee, Governs Kwame Agbodza, emphasized the need for the amount to be returned to the government.

“when you have a situation where the minister then says in 2023, now that he always believed that before the project takes off, that should be a cabinet approval, there should be a parliamentary approval, PPA approval, since none of these things were approved – In fact, the Auditor General’s report suggested that the company did not even have the necessary license to operate the system they wanted to operate?" Governs Kwame Agbodza said.

He highlighted the involvement of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the chairman of the economic management team, and criticized the absence of transparency and adherence to procurement protocols.

“So the question is, what was the reason for the government to act in a way to give our $2 million? Who actually took the decision to pay this entity in Mauritius was Dr. Bawumia, the chairman of the economic management team, they call him the strategist now – aware that without any recourse to public financial management or the Public Procurement Act, it was wrong for any government entity to pay that kind of amount?” he told journalists in parliament.

The Accra Sky Train Project, announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2017, faced scrutiny regarding its risk management and policy drafting.

However, recent statements from the Minister for Railways Development, John Peter Amewu, cast doubt on the project's implementation, citing financial constraints and the unlikelihood of its realization in the next few years.

NW/WA

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