Kelni GVG is housed in state building - Sam George

The Member of Parliament for the Ningo-Prampram and a ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications, Mr Samuel Nartey George, is wondering why the state would award a US$180 million worth of contract to a company and still house such an entity in a state facility.

According to him, the company, Kelni GVG, which was awarded the Common Monitoring Platform contract, is being housed in the buildings of the National Communications Authority (NCA) in Accra.

“The entire Kelni GVG platform is sitting in the premises of the NCA. The question we need to ask is how much is Kelni GVG paying for rental of the floor space? How much are they paying for utilities (light and water)? Are they using a state facility for private gain and getting paid on top?” Mr George queried.

Moment of Truth 

Speaking at the 7th edition of the NDC’s Moment of Truth series in Accra on Thursday, December 12, 2019, the outspoken MP said the Kelni GVG contract was clearly a calculated “attempt to fleece the taxpayer to the tune of $US90 million over a 5-year period with another $US90 million for an extension of 5 years.”

He said the Kelni GVG contract was signed as an avenue for the apparatchiks of the Akufo-Addo administration to create, loot and share the resources of the country.

“The Kelni GVG Contract was signed by Mr. Ken Ofori Atta and Madam Ursula Owusu (Ministers for Finance and Communications respectively). Their proximity to President Akufo-Addo is public knowledge,” he stated.

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Kelni GVG

The $89m contract will allow Kelni GVG to operate a common platform that includes the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) by connecting the entire switch of the physical network nodes of telecommunication operators in the country.

The programme is expected to improve revenue mobilisation for the government and also check Sim box fraud.

Deaf ears

He said although many civil society organisations and many well-meaning Ghanaians have spoken against the contract, the president had turned a deaf ear to the issue since it was benefiting his appointees.

“IMANI Ghana and several others yelled, wailed and cried to no avail. Where there is create, loot and share, Nana Akufo-Addo hears no evil,” Mr George said, stressing “Indeed, he (Akufo-Addo) even sees no evil even if it is within his Government. This is the problem, that, a government of family and friends, by family and friends and for family and friends visits on a nation.”

He said although the NDC was not against the growth and development of Ghanaian businesses, the party believed in awarding contract to capable companies and businesses.

“Even though we in the NDC support growing Ghanaian businesses, we believe in doing so in accordance with the laws of the land. There are multiple breaches of the procurement laws and the entire procurement processes that led to the signing of the contract between the company and Ministers Ken Ofori Atta and Ursula Owusu,” he explained.