The Minority in Parliament has said it needs "expert advice" before it can make comments on the $72 million software procurement controversy that has been unraveled at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
The procurement happened during the Mahama administration.
"I’m studying the subject with some experts,” Mr Haruna Iddrisu told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday, 5 September when asked why the Minority has been silent on the matter since it came into the public domain.
"Don’t forget that myself I was the Minister who oversaw pensions and I do have a position on the prudent management of pension resources", the Tamale South MP said, adding" "At the appropriate time when I’m satisfied with the details, we would address the public on this and many issues."
He continued: " . . In fact last week, there was a meeting on the particular subject . . . We don’t just want to talk as a Minority, I need expert advice . . . We are studying; we don’t want to be a Minority that just rushes to say [things]".
The Director-General of SSNIT, Dr John Ofori Tenkorang revealed a few weeks ago that the OBS software procured by the state pension scheme has cost the taxpayer $72 million so far, and still counting, and not $66 million as earlier quoted by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor.
According to him, since the system is not functional and being worked on every now and then, the eventual cost will definitely be higher than the current $72 million quoted.
That cost, Dr Ofori Tenkorang explained, includes the cost of the original tender and any subsequent modifications and on-going yearly support fees that “we pay, so the number is still ticking and it’s running so the number is huge, I can tell you it’s in excess of $66million.”
He told Accra-based Citi FM, “The last time a number was communicated to me, the number stood at $72million but I can tell you that the system is still not functioning as it should and each time we have to make revisions or get certain corrections made, these things are billed as change requests which are also billable so until the system is fully deployed and working properly, there is a chance that the number will be bigger than what I’ve actually mentioned to you right now.”
The initial cost of the contract was $34million.
Meanwhile, the former Director-General of SSNIT, Ernest Thompson, has said there is nothing wrong with the $66million software contract approved by the previous board.
The Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) is currently investigating five former officials of SSNIT in connection with alleged financial malfeasance relating to the procurement of the OBS software.
According to current Board Chairman of SSNIT, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, some 15 more officers have also been invited to assist in investigating corrupt activities at the pension scheme.
Mr Kufuor, who did not provide details of the exact nature of the investigation, made this known at the signing of an audit agreement between the pension scheme and PricewaterhouseCoopers to review the financial records of the Trust in Accra on Tuesday, 22 August 2017.
“From my conversations, five people are being investigated and about 15 have been called as witnesses, but five are being investigated,” he stated.
The software was to help in networking all branches of SSNIT across the country to enable them receive real-time data directly from the headquarters in Accra and enhance efficiency.
But Mr Thompson told Accra-based Joy FM on Wednesday that: “Seriously speaking, it is not a very simple software.
“We are able to identify contributors at a click of a button and we are able to pay benefits in no time, and we are also able to validate contribution reports online for payment on the SSNIT portal.”
He added: “In fact, I didn’t find anything wrong with it and the new board did not find anything wrong with it.”
Also, former Board Chair of SSNIT, Prof Joshua Alabi, has said his board queried the inherited software contract which he said was approved by a predecessor board because the management went beyond the approved figure.
Dissociating himself from the alleged rot, Prof Alabi, who is speculated to be eyeing the presidential slot of the main opposition National Democratic Congress, told Accra-based Citi FM in an interview that: “What really happened was that maybe the management went beyond the approved figure and brought it to the board for ratification and we queried it, and this is in the minutes, so this is what I can tell you about that project.
“It was awarded before my board, the management went beyond the contract sum without cause to the board, they came to the board for ratification and we queried it and warned the management but then I also want to believe that the previous board really took into consideration the operations of SSNIT before they awarded that contract and the management also explained to the board that there were some unforeseen expenditure that occurred and that was why they went beyond their contract sum but then we queried them because we said they should have brought it to the board for discussion and approval before awarding it,” the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, said.
Source: ClassFMonline.com
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NDC Started Free SHS With 10,400 Students – Says Okudzeto Ablakwa September 6, 2017 Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa Former Deputy Education Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration not to claim glory for being the first to commence free senior high school (SHS) education in the country. According to him, his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), first started Free SHS in 2014 with a total of 10,400 students. President Akufo-Addo’s NPP government has announced that the Free SHS programme will start this month (September) with the first-year students in all the public senior high schools in the country. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, September 4, the current Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, urged parents and guardians not to pay any fees demanded by heads of senior high schools since the government was taking care of all such expenses. “Students are not supposed to pay any fees,” he said, adding, “As a matter of fact, PTA-levied fees like utilities, development levy, and even teacher motivation are going to be paid by the government. As a result, we’ve made it abundantly clear to headmasters that money should not be the reason why a student should not go to school. Therefore no parent should receive a bill.” Dr Adutwum added, “Even if PTA meets and decides in consultation with GES that there is something they want to do and they want parents to contribute, it will not be mandatory. If Mr Kojo Mensah doesn’t have money to make that contribution for his ward, the student will not be prevented from going to school.” Poor Communication But speaking on Asempa FM’s ‘Ekosii Sen’ programme on Monday, Mr Ablakwa said, “I think the NDC as a party we need to improve on our communication strategy. Free SHS is not starting in Ghana on the 11th of September this year; it is not President Akufo-Addo who is starting free SHS and many people don’t know this.” He indicated that NDC “…had a loan facility from the World Bank under the Secondary Education Improvement Programme. “Under this there were four components – the first was to build the 23 senior high schools, the second component was the training we provided for Maths, Science and ICT teachers and there was a third component called Quality Improvement Facility upgrade, and the fourth categorically was the scholarships for needy senor high school students.” He said, “The agreement we signed with the World Bank for the next five years at that time – 2014 to 2019 – was on granting scholarships and implementing free SHS for 10,400 students.” “There are over 400,000 SHS students nationwide and the current administration is not relying on loan to finance the programme. “Also when compared to the 424,092 students who are expected to benefit from the NPP’s Free SHS policy in its first year, the 10,400 figure mentioned by Ablakwa is just a peanut,” an educational analyst observed. Worry The NDC appears worried about the implementation of the Free SHS programme this month, as President Akufo-Addo is seemingly bent on fulfilling his campaign promise to the Ghanaian people. President Akufo-Addo has been very swift in honouring his pledges to Ghanaians and that is apparently causing panic within the NDC camp. It’s unclear why Ablakwa is even claiming that his party started the free SHS education when indeed, the NDC had vehemently pointed out that it was not possible to implement Free SHS policy in Ghana, but rather the country should focus on quality education – the very reason for which ex-President Mahama opted to build some 200 Community High Schools nationwide, a project he (Mahama) woefully failed to complete before being booted out of power in a disgraceful manner in 2016. BY Melvin Tarlue
You can send petitions to the Securities Exchange Commission in the US and luxemburg but do not have experts to advice you on Social Security in Ghana. As a former Minister of Labour are you telling Ghanaians that you cannot comprehend what is happening. Kindly call a Press Conference and ask for assistance from any country of your choice to come and brief you. When are we getting a feedback on the US Securities Exchange petition? Hmmmmmmmmm
You can speak to every issue without expert advice but the SSNIT one. saa, yoo. NDC we've heard you. And I believe you need expert advice on the Jospong group of companies scandal and the exton cubic too right?. Ok just make sure you seek that expert advice in time because I for one will be waiting for you to say something about those issues wai.
Hahahahahahahaha, I laugh enter somewhere.
NDC, are masters of shifting goal posts!!! of late you Idrissu and Portufe have been issuing verbal flatulence from your An*ses!!!Do you ever pause to reflect before the s*lly conferences you have been holding??? When corruption is hiding in your own cloth do you need expert advice before your usual rantings and ravings??? WE ARAE WATCHING YOU MOTHER-FU*KERS CLOSELY!! YOU WILL LOSE BIG TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT SERIOUS!!! COMFORTABLE LEAD, AS USUAAAL!!!!
shame ndc. did you seek for expert advice before you made press conference on asiedu nketia cooked story on arm robbers attack? shame, thi-e-ves and cri-mi-nals
Do you need an expert advise to know that software costing $72 million is dubious deal. Your hands are dirty and deep in corruption so you can't comments about it.Wait a while for the commencement of prosecution and most of you will be hiding. Fuuuulish.
What kind of leadership are there in ndc? They seem to have perfected in lies and deceit in their desire to lead this country. How many experts did they consult in the various statements and press conferences they have issued or held? They should not insult our intelligence since their style of politics belongs to the stone age.
You are ashamed to talk about it if not you have called press conference long time what a wicked ,***barred word*** nd corupt govenment opposition forever nd ever
These NDC cr!minals.... They all benefited from Wayome money..... Look at the rotten Jospong contracts... NDC is a create, l00t and share gang of cr!m!nals... As for John Mahama posterity will judge him for killing Prof Mills and mismanaging our country as if there is no future generation.