Business News of Friday, 27 December 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

ADB Board approves controversial electronic servicing agreement valued at GH¢12 million - Ablakwa

North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has raised concerns over what he describes as a sleazy midnight contract approved by the board of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).

According to the MP, the electronic servicing agreement deal, which has not gone through vital processes such as auditing and negotiations, has seen political pressure being brought to bear for prompt payment.

"Intercepted memos continue to expose reckless and unpatriotic officials of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government for awarding sleazy midnight contracts and insisting on full payments before January 7, 2025. The Board of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) met three days ago and hurriedly approved a controversial electronic servicing agreement valued at US$750,000.00 (GH¢12 million).

"Deep throat sources at ADB tell me they are under extreme political pressure to effect full payment by tomorrow, the 27th of December, 2024. Top ADB insiders are shocked at the Board's decision because, apart from this deal not going through the audit department, negotiations with the vendor, Virtual Security Africa, have not been concluded, particularly as the main agreement is still in draft form," the MP wrote in a social media post on Thursday, December 26, 2024.

He noted that there seems to be a mad rush for contracts under the outgoing government despite a clear warning against such moves by the Transition Team of President-elect John Dramani Mahama.

The chair of the president-elect's Operation Recover All Loot disclosed that he has intercepted a number of such memos pushing through last-minute deals and warned public servants not to fall for any political pressure or face repercussions after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) assumes power on January 7, 2025.

"The mad rush for midnight contracts and payments have reached uncontrollable levels despite a clear caution from the President-elect's Transition Team — a caution consistent with what the NPP demanded in 2016.

"Fortunately, we have intercepted a considerable number of these internal memos on these dubious transactions and the public officials who succumb to unlawful political pressure and effect payments will have themselves to blame after January 7, 2025," the MP wrote.

The NDC, after winning the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections, has raised concerns over what it says are last-minute recruitments, promotions, and contracts being undertaken by the outgoing government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Read the memo below:





Watch the latest edition of BizTech below:



Click here to follow the GhanaWeb Business WhatsApp channel