The Special Prosecutor has been petitioned to investigate the former CEO of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation company (BOST) for authorising  "illegal" payments of ¢40.5 million into an account of the office of the Chief of Staff.

The Center for National Affairs (CNA) has provided what it believes is evidence that the account was illegal and the payments by the former BOST CEO, Kingsley Kwame Awuah-Darko, did not have statutory approval.

According to letters allegedly signed by Mr Awuah-Darko, the payments were "monies accrued from the security fees taken from Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs) invoices to effect payments on the cost of petroleum products supplied by Goil."

Photo: Kingsley Kwame Awuah-Darko

The monthly payments were made between August 2015 to January 2017 while Julius Debrah was Chief of Staff under the Mahama administration.

Julius Debrah was appointed in February 2015 but the CNA claims that according to documents available to it, the payments began from August 28, 2015, with the transfer of ¢3.5 million.

The next payment was ¢3 million in October 2015 and another ¢3 million on November 12, 2015. On December 23, 2015, ¢2 million was transferred.

Payments resumed in 2016 on February 05, March 15, April 15 and May 13 with the release of ¢2.5 million for each of the four months. On June 09, July 15 and August 24 that year BOST in every month transferred ¢3 million into the account.

Months to the 2016 elections in December, BOST paid ¢3.5 million on September 29 and November 17.  The last payment of ¢3m was made January 3, 2017 - four days before the inauguration of a new government.

But the Executive Director of the civil society organisation, Samuel Lartey described the payments and accounts as mysterious. He said CNA also has reasons to believe, other state agencies also paid illegal monies to the office of the Chief of Staff.

The petition to Martin Amidu was sent with several letters covering the transactions while Julius Debrah was in office.

The petitioner said it was triggering Act 959 which empowers the Special Prosecutor to investigate suspected corruption and corruption-related offences.

The petition becomes the second from CNA after it asked the Special Prosecutor to investigate the former Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Charlotte Osei who was removed overstated misbehaviour involving procurement breaches.