NDC Slams Bawumia for Alleged Corruption in Sole-Sourced Deals

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the primary promoter and beneficiary of sole sourcing.

The party claims that sole sourcing has become the preferred method of procurement for several questionable contracts awarded to relatives and cronies of the Presidential Candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

At the party’s “Moment of Truth” news conference in Accra, they alleged that a number of dubious and overpriced sole-sourced contracts were awarded to Resource Access Limited, a company owned and operated by Bawumia’s brother, Abraham Bawumia, and his wife, Kaminska Bawumia.

Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, addressed journalists at the party’s headquarters, stating, “First on the list is a sole-sourced contract awarded for Phase One of the rehabilitation of the Sunyani Airport at a cost of GHS52.25 million to Resource Access Limited. This contract was given to Bawumia’s brother in 2019 without any transparent or competitive process.”

He continued, “Comparing the cost of the modest work done at the Sunyani Airport by Bawumia’s brother’s company to the brand-new Ho Airport built by H.E. John Dramani Mahama reveals that Ghanaians have indeed been shortchanged.

The Ho Airport was constructed at a cost of $25 million and features a 1,900-meter-long and 30-meter-wide runway, a new ultramodern terminal with VIP and VVIP facilities that can process about 400 passengers a day, a new apron for two aircraft, and a 9-kilometer network of new roads.

In contrast, after spending GHS52.25 million, the rehabilitated Sunyani Airport has only a refurbished 120-meter-long and 30-meter-wide runway, minimal renovation of the existing terminal building, an upgraded apron, and resurfaced internal roads.”

Gyamfi also pointed out that as part of the overpriced Sunyani Airport Phase One rehabilitation project, two lucrative cocoa road projects were awarded to Bawumia’s brother’s company, Resource Access Limited, through sole sourcing at an inflated cumulative cost of GHS83 million in 2020.

These projects include the upgrading of the Assin Akropong–Odomasi–Asibrem (22.18 km) road at a contract value of GHS54,263,718.64 and the upgrading of the Kyibosohasowodze bungalow feeder road (14.50 km) at a contract value of GHS29,468,546.54.

He noted that the Auditor-General found these single-sourced cocoa road contracts overpriced and awarded in breach of public procurement laws, leading to significant financial losses for the nation. “Paragraph 65 of a Performance Audit Report by the Auditor-General on the Construction of Cocoa Roads revealed that COCOBOD did not rigorously analyze its procurement options for value for money but sought approval from the Public Procurement Authority for single sourcing and restricted tendering, resulting in contracts that were up to three times more expensive than those obtained through competitive tendering.”

Gyamfi further revealed that between March 3, 2023, and March 5, 2024, Resource Access Limited, owned by the Bawumias, was paid a staggering GHS83,036,639 by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government for two single-sourced road projects: the Rehabilitation of Selected Roads in Teshie Camp, Southern Command, Military Academy Training School Roads (23.45 km & 55,000 m²), and the Partial Reconstruction of Selected Roads in Accra LOT 1 (44.49 km); and the Construction of Sunyani By-Pass Outer Ring from Kumasi Berekum Road.

The total value of the five sole-sourced contracts awarded to Bawumia’s brother’s company amounts to a substantial GHS218 million (equivalent to 2.1 trillion old Ghana cedis).

Gyamfi concluded, “The above facts expose the dishonesty of Alhaji Bawumia on the issue of corruption. It is evident that the man who vociferously opposed sole sourcing in opposition is now the biggest enabler and promoter of dubious sole-sourced and overpriced contracts to his own family and cronies.”

He accused Bawumia of being a chronic liar who cannot be trusted to combat corruption, asserting that a vote for Bawumia would be a vote to cover up the corrupt practices of the NPP government. In contrast, he said, a vote for H.E. John Dramani Mahama represents a commitment to genuine accountability and justice, as Mahama has promised to confront corruption head-on and ensure accountability for all corrupt acts.

Source: Adovor Nutifafa
dovor100@gmail.com