Use state institutions to investigate NCA, GSA scandals - MP advises gov't

Member of Parliament (MP) for Adenta says it’s time the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) are engaged to investigate the recent scandals at two state institutions.

Yaw Buabeng Asamoah says to avoid any doubt regarding the scandals at the National Communications Authority (NCA) and Ghana Standard Authority (GSA), the matter should be referred to the "institution which deals with doubt.

He said since Ghana does not lack professionalism with the institutions like the Criminal Investigations Department, EOCO, police, BNI and Attorney General's office, they must be relied on when such matters of scandals emerge.

Speaking on Joy FM/MultiTV's news analysis programme Newsfile, Saturday, he said, "government should strengthen them [institutions] and get them to deliver."

The Information Minister, Mustafa Hamid, revealed in an interview with Joy FM that some officials of NCA allegedly withdrew $4 million from the accounts of the Authority and have failed to account for it.

The Minister mentioned the names of Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, former Board Chairman, one Alhaji Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Mr Tevie among others as officials involved in the scandal.

The Minister said an investigation by the current government reveals that the named officials had contracted an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, to supply listening equipment at the cost of $6 million, to enable National Security monitor conversations of persons suspected to be engaged in terror activities.

The Minister further revealed that a local agent, Infraloks Development Limited, was also charging $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million.

But only $1 million was paid into the accounts of the Israeli company while the remaining $3 million was lodged into the accounts of one George Oppong, representing the local agents, Infraloks Development Limited.

That money was allegedly shared among the officials.

William Tevie
However, Mr Tevie has denied involvement in a corruption scandal that has hit his tenure of office.

He has denied ever admitting to allegations of corruption to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) as revealed by the government and reported by the Daily Guide newspaper and other media houses.

In a related development, Joy News intercepted an investigative report which alleges that former Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Authority Dr George Crentsil received a $1.2million kickback from a contractor.

Lemet Construction Company is said to have worked on a new block of the Standards Authority Training School at a cost in excess of GHC15 million.

The contractor did not state why he gave out the money but the report indicates Dr. Crentsil admitted receiving the cash.

According to the report submitted by the board of directors of the Ghana Standards Authority to the then Trade Minister Dr Ekwow Spio Gabrah, Dr George Crentsil took $1 million from the contractor working on the GSA training school on one occasion.

With denials here and there, the former Director of Communication of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Asamoah said, for the state to be able to take effective action, it needs to refer to the institutions responsible for such acts and get them to do their job.

He believes this will curb the phenomenon of government putting out the issues of corruption in the media and the matter dying out quietly.

Commenting on the issue, Executive Director of IDEG Dr Emmanuel Akwetey said it is time the President streamlines the work of the various investigative institutions.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com