I have gone into my 2016 archives for NewsFile to confirm the occurrence of a scandal each day or each week is not exactly strange. In the archives, I saw how New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs and communicators brought many things to my attention in that election year. They shared documents and allegations of wrongdoing, especially corruption in the Mahama Government.

They were persistent in their pursuits, make the news and literally lead the media debates. People like Gabby Asare Okyere Darko were very good at this. Yes, in the manner North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa does it. I find National Democratic Congress (NDC) bigwigs and communicators do not do as much in this area.

Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo used to be quick in joining the chorus of condemnation. He had a way of framing the issues and condemning the rot and carrying citizens along. He always made citizens extremely proud with his forthright approach to corruption and misgovernance. Nana Addo actually made corruption the major plank of his campaign and he would be loved. I recall the joy in my heart hearing him repeat his caution that those whose agenda was to seek wealth in public office would not have a place in his government if he won the election.

Sir, your appointee Bryan Acheampong is the sole owner and beneficiary of Rock City Hotel seeking to take over four SSNIT hotels in bizarre circumstances. Some of these hotels built with contributions of poor workers and pension funds are more profitable than his own.

You have heard Bryan say publicly that he is a non-executive director of Rock City Hoel and is not paid by the hotel blabla. What does he mean? He is paid dividends as the sole shareholder. A dividend is a distribution of earnings, often quarterly, by a company to its shareholders in the form of cash or stock reinvestment.

Mr. President, like you, MPs or ministers are prohibited by the Constitution from engaging either directly or indirectly in business for emolument. The dividend is money, it is emolument. By Articles 78 and 98, he can only do business directly or indirectly if he obtains a certificate from the Speaker of Parliament permitting same:

Article 98—Emoluments of Members        

(1)      A member of Parliament shall be paid such salary and allowances and provided with such facilities as may be determined in accordance with Article 71 of this Constitution.

(2)      A member of Parliament shall not hold any office of profit or emoluments, whether private or public and either directly or indirectly, unless permitted to do so by the Speaker acting on the recommendations of a committee of Parliament on the grounds that—

(a)      holding that office will not prejudice the work of a member of Parliament; and

(b)      no conflict of interest arises or would arise as a result of the member holding that office.

Bryan is unable to answer if he has complied with this provision to start with. And does appear he has not.

Sir, you have not, consistent with your campaign commitment, said a word about this. This will not be the first time you disappoint the millions who reposed such a great deal of trust in you in 2016.

The Bible instructs that we avoid the appearances of evil. This process does not pass the conflict of interest test including as set out for public office holders in Article 284 that “[a] public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office.”

I have many times and for a long time asked if these scandals are simply things blown out of proportion by Ghanaians who are difficult to govern. Yes, there are times I cannot appreciate the hue and cry over easy-to-understand matters like this fresh Next-Gen InfraCo (NGIC) contract.

The fact that a company, and in this case, an amalgam of expert entities, I understand, is established about the same time a contract is awarded it may not be wrong or illegal. That the objects of the company incorporated on 16^th August 2023, is specifically to provide nationwide 4G and 5G infrastructure and services must lead to suspicion of ‘insider-dealing’ or wrongdoing. The fact that it is a special-purpose vehicle means its specialised activities must match the objects of the contract because it was set up specifically for those objects.

There is also some comfort in the fact that the NGIC is a consortium formed between the government of Ghana and seven other industry partners - Ascend Digital, K-NET, Radisys, Nokia, and Tech Mahindra and two telcos – AT Ghana and Telecel Ghana.

In the circumstances of the contract and the public interest nature of the project, concerns about lack of transparency in awarding the contract are well founded. It obviously does not sound right that even members of Parliament’s Communications Committee do not seem to be fully briefed about the contract. Citizens must scrutinise the contracting processes without rushing to impugn corruption.

You, your party, and ministers who were very vociferous against sole-sourced contracts you said were conduits for corruption, now defend SML.

Label me whatever when it pleases you, but I know my journalism has not changed. You have changed.

Samson Lardy ANYENIN

1^st June, 2024