Corruption hits Northern Development Authority as CEO allegedly ‘inflates’ payment figures

A contract alteration scandal has hit the Northern Development Authority (NDA) where a Gh¢5.7Million contract signed by an immediate-past CEO of the company was ‘magically’ inflated long after the work was done and due for payment.

In a series of exposés by the immediate-past CEO of NDA, Dr. Alhassan Anamzoya, he awarded a contract to a firm called A&QS Consortium while in office at a sum of ¢5,720,000 approved by the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) under the government’s Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).

The PPA on January 16, 2020, gave approval to NDA under Dr. Anamzoya to use single-source procurement to recruit various consultancy services to implement the IPEP program in the amount Gh¢5.7Million.

However, upon Dr. Anamzoya’s departure from NDA, the contract miraculously ‘falsified’ itself along with the forged signature of Dr. Anamzoya to inflate the total contract sum to Gh¢10,400,000 instead of the Gh¢5.7Million.

Despite the clear fraud and possible criminal repercussions, payment was effected with only a fraction left to be cleared.

The NDA under Dr. Anamzoya engaged the services of the A&Qs Firm to provide Consultancy Supervision for 11 constituencies in the Upper West Region at the cost of ¢5,720,000 with PPA approval. Even though the award letter signed by Anamzoya and the corresponding PPA approval showed an amount of ¢5,720,000, the contract was allegedly doctored to show Ghc¢10,400,000 and submitted the same for payment to be made which 30% was done.

The alleged infraction was made to inflate the figures and possibly steal from the state knowing the works and the contract award did not march under the current NDA CEO Sumaila Abdul Rahman who has not officially reacted to the allegations.

On June 30, it was reported that the Controller and Accountant General’s Department was readying to make the remainder of the payment despite repeated petitions on the matter to the Chief of Staff and the Special Prosecutor.

The former NDA CEO petitioned the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, over the alleged fraud but she failed to act, creating the impression of official culpability in the deal.

This is the reason why Martin Kpebu alleged that he is convinced the President is directly involved in crimes against the state and is head of the Criminal Syndicate at the Jubilee House. Martin Kpebu led the petition to the Special Prosecutor on the matter who is investigating.

Source: Radio Gold