You …., Go Away From Me! Prez sacks PPA boss over ‘contracts for sale’ allegation

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has revoked the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim Boateng Adjei.

His dismissal followed findings from a probe by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) into an alleged conflict of interest on the part of the CEO.

He had been accused of awarding government contracts to companies he was directly involved in as director or shareholder or both, in an undercover piece which implicated him, but he denied the allegations through his lawyers.

President Akufo-Addo had referred the potential acts of corruption relating to the allegations contained in an exposé by Manasseh Azure Awuni, an investigative journalist, to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

President Akufo-Addo, prior to referring the allegations to these two authorities, had suspended the CEO in question to pave way for investigations.

A statement from Jubilee House on Friday, October 30, 2020 announced the termination of the appointment of the suspended CEO of the PPA, Adjenim Boateng Adjei, following the CHRAJ probe.

According to Jubilee House, the findings of the Commission, headed by Joseph Whittal, concluded: “On the totality of the evidence, Mr. Adjenim Boateng Adjei had put himself in a position where his personal interests conflicted with the performance of his functions as CEO and Board Member of the PPA.”
It continued: “Having satisfied himself of the fact that the recommendation made by CHRAJ is properly motivated and well-founded, the President has expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Joseph Whittal and CHRAJ for the thorough and methodical manner in which the matter has been addressed,” portions of the statement signed by Communications Director at the President’s office, Eugene Arhin, read.

On August 22, 2019, a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, addressed to the CHRAJ and the OSP, triggered the authorities of these bodies to investigate Mr Adjenim over the allegation.

It read: “I am directed by the President of the Republic to refer to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice allegations of conflict of interest made against Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority, in a documentary titled; ‘Contract for Sale’, a Manasseh Azure Awuni investigation,” aired on Joy News TV on 21st August, 2019.

Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei has, meanwhile, been suspended from office, pending investigation.

Earlier, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, in a statement, had said the aspects of the allegations relating to corruption had been referred to the OSP

“…Subsequently referred the allegations involving conflict of interest to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and those relating to potential acts of corruption to the Office of Special Prosecutor, for their prompt action,” Eugene Arhin stated in the letter.

Meanwhile, it is unclear when the OSP would make its findings known on the matter, if, indeed, it found some corruption in the allegations.

A letter dated August 22, 2019, signed by the Special Prosecutor, Martin Alamisi Barnes Kaiser Amidu, and addressed to the CEO of the PPA, requested the recipient of the letter to assist in investigations.

Investigations by freelance journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni unearthed that a company incorporated in 2017, known as Talent Discovery Limited (TDL), won a number of government contracts through restrictive tendering.

In a documentary, Manesseh Azure Awuni reported that the company, which had the CEO of the PPA as a Director and shareholder, was engaged in the selling of contracts.

Undercover encounters with the General Manager of the company, Thomas Amoah, revealed that the company was selling GH¢22.3 million road contracts to K-Drah Enterprise, a fake company Manasseh used for the investigation.

This contract was awarded to B-Molie Limited, a company Mr Amoah said was a sister company of the TDL, the undercover journalist revealed.

A day after the documentary, titled “Contract for Sale” was aired, the CEO of the PPA, who was at the center of the investigation, was suspended by President Akufo-Addo.

The post You …., Go Away From Me! Prez sacks PPA boss over ‘contracts for sale’ allegation appeared first on The Chronicle Online.

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