But for the intervention of the Finance Ministry to halt payments to Subah Infosolutions LTD, Ghana could have been coughing up Ghc 4 million to the company till 2015, a press release has suggested.

In a press statement Monday, the Deputy Minister Cassiel Ato Forson said it raised alarm and blocked further payment to the company after it noted concerns about the "efficiency in implementation" of the terms of the contract between Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA) and the company.

In what appears to be the latest corruption allegation that has hit the government, the Chronicle newspaper last week reported the alleged payment of Ghc144 million to a private company Subah Infosolutions LTD contracted in 2010 by the GRA to provide telecommunication traffic monitoring.

According to the newspaper, Subah was paid 4million cedis every month. Minister for Information and Media Relations is promising that government will investigate and punish anyone found guilty of wrongdoing.

Further to this development, the Ministry of Finance which effected the payment has come out to explain steps it took to prevent further payment to the company.

Below is the full statement

The Ministry of Finance has noted recent reports in the media relating to a contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Messrs Subah Infosolutions LTD.

The Ministry wishes to note that as far back as May 2013, concerns had been raised by the Minister about the efficiency in implementation of this particular agreement. The Minister therefore directed the Tax Policy Unit of the Ministry of Finance and GRA to halt payments to Subah Infosolutions LTD until a proper review of performance under the contract had been undertaken.

Subsequently a team was put together to review the agreement and make recommendations to the Minister about a possible renegotiation of the contract, whose tenure runs until May, 2015. The team has recently submitted its preliminary report to the Minister for study and further action.

The Ministry wishes to assure the public that the report of the review would be duly implemented and that no additional payments would be made until this process is complete and value for money is assured.

CASSIEL ATO FORSON (HON)

DEPUTY MINISTER FOR FINANCE

(October 27th 2013)