The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has stormed the premises of the Northern Development Authority (NDA) to secure some documents as he begins the prosecution of four persons at NDA for respective breaches of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
The four are the Chief Executive of the Northern Development Authority, Mr. Sumaila Abdul-Rahman; the Deputy Chief Executive (Operations) of the NDA, Mr. Stephen Yir-eru Engmen; the Deputy Chief Executive (Finance & Administration) of the NDA, Mr. Patrick Seidu and the Chief Executive of A&QS Consortium Limited, Mr. Andrew Kuundaari.
This is after a petitioner hinted the office about the sum of a contract awarded to A&Q’s Consortium which was allegedly clothed in corruption.
A&Q’s Consortium was reportedly contracted to supervise the implementation of the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) in some communities in the Upper West Region by the former CEO of NDA Dr. Sulemana Anamzoya.
Dr Anamzoya had accused his successor of allegedly perpetrating financial malfeasance in his (Anamzoya’s) name with respect to a contract awarded to A&Q’s Consortium.
In a petition to the Presidency, Dr Anamzoya detailed how the Sumaila Abdul Rahman-led management at the NDA had committed the alleged fraud in his (Dr Anamzoya’s) name.
Dr Anamzoya accused Abdul Rahman of falsifying figures and forging his (Dr Anamzoya’s) signature in a GH¢10,400,000 contract.
According to him, the only contract he had awarded to A&Q’s while in office was in the sum of GH¢5,720,000.
“Quite recently, my attention was drawn to a contract purportedly signed by me while I was in office as the acting CEO of the NDA, a consultancy service contract to A&Q’s Consortium (A&Q’s) in the sum of ¢10,400,000 under the IPEP,” the petition said.
