Government has made no payment to a UK-based firm for the supply of security infrastructure without parliamentary approval, as alleged by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The party alleged that government has signed a fraudulent deal worth about $300 million for the supply of national security equipment with UK-based firm, Santa Barron.
The NPP further said, government has already paid the UK-based firm $120 million dollars for the supply of the equipment in November without due diligence.
But according to the Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, government has also not made any payments as alleged by the NPP.
Responding to questions on the issue on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Terkper was adamant that “no payment was made, let us establish that fact. Let me state for a fact that no payment was made. No advanced payment was made. I say that for a fact and I challenge anybody.”
His answers align with that of the Chairman of Interior and Defence Committee in Parliament, Fritz Baffour, who described the claims as ridiculous.
According to Mr. Baffour, his committee was not aware of such expenditure given that such a deal would have come before his committee before being initiated.
Without going into details, Mr. Terkper explained that the deal which kicks in 2017 “was medium term plan for the supply of security” that could enhance revenue from peace keeping efforts.
“Instead of buying things ad hoc, the more equipment you have, the more you earn on peacekeeping for example. So we are saying let’s aggregate, let’s buy the revenue in bulk so it can be deployed and then the peace keeping revenues and others can be accrued,” he noted.
On the Finance Ministry’s part, Mr. Terkper noted that, “the step we took was to say the Ministry of Interior must encumber its budget resources for that.”
Company has track record in Ghana
He also denied claims that the company lacked any track record with Ghana and was “established just yesterday” as purported by the NPP.
“The company is not six months old. The company was actually established in 1993 and has been doing business in Ghana over the years,” the Finance Minister said.
Source: Citifmonline
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Did you guy finish reading or you don't understand the words that were used? the minister only denied no payment has been made. he went ahead to confirm that they have made such moves. please finish reading. Our only problem here in Ghana is that we don't read.
Lies dont win elections. Npp must learn from this.
These are the enemies the Bible talk's about in Luke 19:27 they do evil things and come back to beg, no amount of words can stop God from allowing the change to come for voice of the people is the voice God, let our prayer says what the Bible say's in Luke 19:27 Spiritually bring these enemies before God and slay them for their wicked plans. Mr Prez your mistakes sound like a deliberate once to punish the electorates by increase and invade more taxes so now you have clearly expose how you are that indeed you can not take any decision you are ruing the nation just like the survive of the fitters who can survive your hardship can live, Mr Prez the voices of the people is the voices of God, if I understood the Constitution clearly it didn't say you only have four years that means if you do not win the 2016 election you another chance to contest other elections so stop forcing for the seat which is not yours. Ghana need peaces so be it. God bless Ghana A Change is coming!!!