Deputy Chief Scribe for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Lawson has described as loose talk comments by the Minister of State in-charge of Public Procurement, Sarah Adwoa Safo on how the NDC plundered state resources through the use of sole-sourcing in procurement.

The Minister of State in-charge of Public Procurement, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo yesterday disclosed how the previous Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration plundered state resources through use of the sole-sourcing policy.

Speaking at a workshop organised by Public Procurement Authority (PPA) under the auspices of the Office of the President, for ministers and heads of state institutions to sensitize them on the country’s procurement laws, especially sole-sourcing, she noted that “the core reason for the promulgation of Act 663 was to sanitize the government procurement procedures, make it more transparent and less prone to corruption which hitherto had bedevilled the government procurement processes.”

Adwoa Safo said “we are aware of how the previous administration unjustifiably took advantage of sole sourcing, a method under the law to loot state money.”

But responding to this allegation on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the Deputy General Secretary for the NDC wondered how sole-sourcing under the law can amount to looting as the Minister of State in-charge of Public Procurement claimed.

To him, he is tempted to believe that the NPP under former President Kufuor used sole-sourcing to loot state coffers, and cited the contract to construct the Flag Staff House as an example.

“They started the sole-sourcing with the various stadia in the country and so does it mean they looted our coffers? People should know how to speak because sole-sourcing doesn’t mean looting. If you use sole-sourcing, that doesn’t amount to looting if due process was followed,” he averred.

He argued that the Dome Kwabenya lawmaker is simply scoring needless political points.

“I don’t blame her for saying such a thing to score political points . . . they should rather focus on their promises; electricity bills, water bills and transport fares have gone up and they should focus on these than this ugly noise she is making. She shouldn’t say NDC looted state coffers through sole-sourcing. She should be circumspect and not use words that naively.”

“When did sole-sourcing start? They created it and passed that law. When they talk of abuse, who abused sole-sourcing more than them? Theirs were huge; what is she talking about? She shouldn’t talk loosely like that; this is a loose talk. Looting is stealing and if due process was followed, how do you consider sole-sourcing as looting?”

“If she used the word loot, it is a loose talk. If she has been given ‘job for the boys’ position, she should focus on it and not go about maligning us. It is the technocrats who are actually working and anybody can qualify to occupy ministerial position to implement political policies,” he opined.

“They have given her a procurement position and she is elated. If I were her, I won’t take that position, procurement for what?” he sneered.