NCA, GSA scandals: Confiscate assets of culprits – MFWA

The three officials who have been indicted in alleged corruption at the National Communications Authority (NCA) must be dealt with mercilessly and their assets confiscated, Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has said.

According to him, monies allegedly stolen from the state by appointees could be used in building several hospitals and schools across the country to help the citizens.

The former Mahama appointees being investigated, as named by Mr Hamid in an interview with Joy FM’s Kojo Yankson on Wednesday, 24 May, include Mr Eugene Baffoe-Bonney, former Board Chairman of the NCA; Mr William Tevie, former Chief Executive Officer of the NCA; and Alhaji Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator.

Their conspirator is George Oppong. Mr Hamid said they engaged in the graft in connection with a contract between the Mahama administration and an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, in which the latter was to supply eavesdropping gadgets worth $6 million. The equipment were meant to help the government of Ghana monitor the calls of suspected terrorists.

In the course of the transaction, Mr Hamid said a local agent – Infraloks Development Limited – charged $2million as facilitation fee, bringing the total amount to $8million.

According to Mr Hamid, National Security, which did not have the funds for the equipment, allowed the NCA, which supervises the use of such equipment to fund the project.

The NCA top officials, he revealed, withdrew $4 million from the NCA’s kitty but gave only $1million to the Israeli firm.

Commenting on this matter on his Facebook page, Mr Braimah said: “$1.2m from GSA, $4m from NCA. How many hospitals and schools could have been built from these? State looters must be mercilessly dealt with and their properties from the loot confiscated. Enough is enough. Time to end the thievery. Time to build our country.”

He added: "Those who steal from the state are the greatest enemies of our nation. We are keeping an eagle eye on the NPP government. Every contract shall be subjected to the test of value for money. It's time to build our country."