Minority Petitions Office of the Special Prosecutor, CHRAJ, CID Over Alleged Procurement Breaches

The Minority in Parliament has formally petitioned key state investigative bodies to probe a controversial contract awarded for the renovation of the old Bank of Ghana office.

The petition has been submitted to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and the Criminal Investigations Department.

According to the caucus, the contract—allegedly awarded by the Ghana Gold Board to Deputy Chief of Staff Stan Dogbe—is riddled with irregularities and breaches of established procurement processes.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, March 24, the Member of Parliament for Odotobri, Anthony Mmieh, stressed the need for a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and protect public funds.

“We presented petitions to these three agencies to conduct an immediate investigation into the contract awarded to Stan Dogbe by the Gold Board. We are of the view that there were several irregularities; the laws governing the awarding of contracts were not followed,” he stated.

Mr. Mmieh further warned that the contract could potentially result in financial loss to the state if not properly scrutinized.

“It is even likely that this contract would cause financial loss to the government. Our petition simply seeks a full investigation to establish what actually transpired. If any wrongdoing is established, the law must take its course,” he added.

He raised concerns over the possibility of sole sourcing, noting that any breach of procurement laws could render the contract invalid.

“You cannot permit sole sourcing without due process. If that has been done, then the entire contract would have to be abrogated. If it is established that the company involved lacked the required documentation or that due process was not followed, then we expect the contract to be terminated and the right procedures adhered to,” he emphasized.

Mr. Mmieh disclosed that all three institutions have acknowledged receipt of the petitions and expressed confidence that investigations would commence promptly.

“All three petitions have been received and duly acknowledged. We expect the agencies to act in accordance with the law and communicate the outcome of their investigations,” he said.

Describing the matter as serious, he urged swift action, suggesting that investigations could be concluded within two weeks due to the volume of information already in the public domain.

“We expect them to hit the ground running. Given the amount of information already available, this should not be a difficult matter to investigate,” he concluded.