The Center for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, says information provided by the Communications Ministry on its contract with Kelni GVG is not enough.

The Center’s Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement, Dr Kojo Asante, said many questions concerning the contract have remained unanswered.

Speaking on Joy FM’s anti-corruption programme, Corruption Watch on Wednesday, Dr Asante said the CDD still has outstanding matters that need to be addressed.

“A lot has been said about it. There’s been a lot of exchange of information but there are still matters that are outstanding for us,” he said.

He added that “We had the opportunity – together with others – around this issue and I think we all walked away wanting more information.”

These questions, Dr Asante noted hinge on five core areas of the contract; the procurement process, Kelni GVG capacity, contract sum, policy and privacy issues.

Related: NCA, Kelni GVG architecture not up to standard – Telecoms Chamber

Since the contract was awarded through a restricted tender, the CDD wants to know the processes that led to this decision.

Reading Section 38 and 39 of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663), Dr Asante said “we want to know which other organisations were invited to bid for the contract and those that didn’t win."

“The entire processes and the value for money analysis that was made which then led to Kelni GVG’s recommendation. It is important to understand the rationales for selecting Kelni GVG.” he added.

On Kelni GVG’s human resource capacity and track record, the CDD believes it is essential to get a good understanding of the owners of the company and the track record of individuals behind it.

The CDD also wants clarity on whether Kelni and GVG are separate entities or not. Dr Asante said information provided on that by the Communications Minister is confusing.

The Communications Minister addressing Parliament last week

Dr Asante said in an earlier communication, it was said that Kelni GVG was a Ghanaian owned entity, registered in 1995. However in her address in Parliament, Communications Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful provided conflicting information.

“We are not sure. Is Kelni GVG a joint venture or Kelni GVG is a completely different entity from GVG, he queried, adding “the two statements cannot stand.”

“Because in one breadth we are saying the companies are the same, yet in another, we are saying it is different,” he stated.

Questions on the contract sum, policy and privacy issues and many others, have all been directed to the Ministry of Communications.

Dr Asante said the CDD hopes the response from the Ministry will help the Center make a better judgment on the Kelni GVG contract.

Related: Connect Kelni GVG, meet me in court – Bentil warns telco

Listen to the full interview below:

Kelni GVG has a five-year contract worth $89 million to build, operate and transfer (BOT) government's common monitoring platform for the telecom industry.

Under the contract, the company will offer four key services: real-time domestic and international traffic monitoring, revenue assurance, mobile money monitoring and fraud management, which they have started.

Related: Kelni GVG equipment not capable of spying - Minister, NCA defend controversial deal

They are to do so in close collaboration with staff of the NCA and Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), on behalf of the Finance and Communications Ministries, who the Communications Service Tax (CST) law enjoins to do real-time monitoring of telecoms traffic for revenue purposes among other things.

The terms of the deal have raised numerous eyebrows with some groups including IMANI Africa calling it a needless and careless duplication of jobs which will cause a strain on Ghana's scarce resources.