The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has accused the former Akufo-Addo administration of orchestrating a third-party contract that allegedly diverts revenue from the National Information Technology Agency (NITA).

According to him, despite NITA’s infrastructure being used for service provision, the revenue generated is redirected to a private firm, leaving a meagre balance of just 25 Ghana Cedis in the agency’s account.

Addressing journalists on Monday, 24th March, Sam George described the situation as an alarming case of state capture, highlighting the financial struggles of NITA.

“The National Information Technology Agency (NITA), for example, has 25 Ghana Cedis, 8 pesewas as its bank balance at the Bank of Ghana. Meanwhile, the agency owes GHȼ813,486,505.89. This is the ministry we took over,” he lamented.

He further disclosed that NITA has been locked into a contractual agreement with a third-party vendor, which he has since summoned for questioning.

Expressing disbelief at the arrangement, he stated, “NITA has a certain contract arrangement with a third-party vendor. I have summoned that third-party vendor to appear before me tomorrow because I do not understand how all the revenue coming to NITA is being redirected. The previous administration signed a contract that diverts all of these funds, giving them to a third party.”

The Minister argued that despite services being delivered through NITA’s infrastructure, payments intended for the agency are instead routed to the private entity.

“The payment for services using NITA’s infrastructure, which I was supposed to approve to a third-party company, was almost four million Ghana Cedis. I have refused to sign it and have referred it to the Attorney General.”

Mr George asserted that he would not authorise any further payments until he had a clear understanding of why NITA was being deprived of its rightful revenue while a private company benefitted immensely.

“I will not authorise such payments until I understand why NITA is not receiving a dime while a private sector player is using NITA’s infrastructure and earning almost four million Ghana Cedis. Meanwhile, all the debt is sitting on NITA’s books while the revenue goes to the private sector,” he stated.

Describing the situation as the “true definition of state capture,” the Minister vowed to expose the extent of the alleged financial mismanagement within the ministry.

He assured that he would provide a comprehensive report to Parliament on the matter, stating, “The ministry is a true definition of state capture. I will come to the house and brief the house extensively on the rot in the ministry.”