Akufo-Addo minister nominee caught in procurement breaches scandal
The deputy ministerial nominee for Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry, Francisca Oteng-Mensah who doubles as MP for Kwabre East is under investigation by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), for allegedly engaging in procurement breaches.
Miss Francisca Oteng-Mensah is accused of using her influence as Board Chair of the National Youth Authority (NYA) to lead the board into approving procurement of sanitisers in the wake of Covid-19 from a company in which she is a shareholder and a director. She is alleged to have supervised the board to pay GH₵700,000 to Adonko Company. Adonko Bitters Limited has nine directors, her father Kwaku Oteng and the Kwabre East MP included.
It is revealed that the board undertook a meeting on 31st March 2020 on zoom at a time the country had over 150 cases of Covid-19. Participants were the board chairperson, Francisca Oteng Mensah; the CEO, Sylvester Tetteh; and a Deputy Executive Director of the National Service Secretariat, Henry Nana Boakye.
Unanimous support was given to the CEO as she offered solutions to support the government of the day to fight against Covid-19 with a budget amount of GH₵3 million. “Majority of the members voted for the approval of GH₵ 3 million for management to undertake various activities towards the fight against Covid-19, with no indication of dissension,” the minutes said.
Ismail Mohammed, a resident of Nima who believes there are breaches, petitioned the CHRAJ on 21st January 2021 to look into the conduct of the MP and the NYA’s GH₵3 million expenses. The petitioner alleged that the lawmaker’s supervision over the meeting to approve the said Covid-19 campaign money has violated Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution and Section 7 of the NYA Act. The laws require that public office holders declare their interest in matters that are before them for consideration.
The 19992 constitution says: “A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office.”
Also, NYA law states: “(1) A member of the Board who has an interest in a matter for consideration shall (a) disclose the nature of the interest and the disclosure shall form part of the record of the consideration of the matter; and (b) not be present at, or participate in the deliberations of the Board in respect of the matter.
(2) “A member ceases to be a member of the Board if that member has an interest in a matter before the Board and (a) fails to disclose that interest; or (b) participates in the deliberations of the matter.”
Against these laws Ismail Mohammed is of the view Ms Oteng-Mensah “participated, deliberated and presided over this particular matter and subsequently failed to disclose her interest in matter”.
The National Youth Authority in March and April 2020, issued a statement launching a nationwide youth campaign against Covid-19 as part of its ‘COVID-19 Youth Campaign. The NYA donated essential medical logistics to the Ministry of Health. Included were goggles, personal protective equipment (PPEs) and hand sanitisers.
Ms Oteng-Mensah’s lawyers have refuted claims of conflict of interest stating that their “client admits that she is and remains a director and shareholder of Adonko Bitters Limited. She was also a director and shareholder of Adonko Bitters Limited during the period, a subject matter of this petition. However, she is not in any way responsible for the day-to-day management of Adonko Bitters Limited. She is not an employee or a marketing and sales executive for the company. Our client submits further that she is not an executive director of Adonko Bitters Limited,” the response to CHRAJ stated.
By: Agaatorne Douglas Asaah | myactiveonline.com
