Ablakwa accuses govt of rushing through ‘questionable’ $750K ADB contract
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has accused the government of rushing through questionable contracts, which he claims undermine fiscal responsibility and the principles of transparency and accountability.
At the center of Ablakwa’s allegations is a $750,000 electronic servicing contract approved by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In a post shared on his official Facebook page on December 26, Ablakwa expressed outrage over the deal, which he says exemplifies a pattern of hurried and questionable financial decisions during the transitional period ahead of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) taking office on January 7, 2025.
The contract in question was awarded to Virtual Security Africa, a company engaged to provide electronic servicing.
According to Ablakwa, the agreement was approved despite being in draft form, with unresolved negotiations and a lack of finalised terms.
He contends that this demonstrates a failure to conduct proper due diligence and raises serious concerns about the governance practices within ADB.
Ablakwa’s post also highlighted alleged internal concerns within ADB regarding the contract. He claims that several insiders are alarmed by the board’s decision to approve the agreement, describing it as rushed and lacking the standard level of scrutiny or auditing.
One of the most contentious aspects of the deal, according to Ablakwa, is the urgency with which payment is being demanded.
He alleges that ADB officials are being pressured to release the full payment, approximately GH¢12 million by Friday, December 27, 2024.
Ablakwa views this deadline as artificially imposed to expedite the disbursement of funds before the new administration assumes office.
Source: channel1news