Manhyia South Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, is demanding immediate resignation or dismissal of Trade Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah.
It comes just a day after Citi News published details of leaked letters in which the Minister sought to give a major government contract to Destination Inspection Companies willing to help government pay off a GHC 197 million Banks-Switch Ghana judgement debt against the state.
[contextly_sidebar id=”Q3DKdMf8kVwmkk1tiwsWDkqAxlRaE0nC”]In the letter, the Minister informed all Destination Inspection Companies that “any of them who can advance the government of Ghana an amount of $35million will be awarded a contract of 0.35% of free on board values on all Ghana’s imports for at least a period of five years to enable that company recover its investments.”
The Executive Director of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe asked government to tread cautiously in the strategy it is employing to pay off the GHC 197 million judgment owed Bankswitch Ghana.
According to Opoku Prempeh however, the Minister acted outside his mandate and that the said letters should lead to his immediate dismissal.
“To the best of my knowledge this has been done in haste, to the best of my knowledge this has been shrouded in mystery, to the best of my knowledge there is a criminality aspect to it… I want to see if the President authorised this. If the President did not authorise this then he should be sacked. Spio Garbrah should be sacked for the whole content of the letter.
“This whole letter purportedly written by Spio Garbrah on 3rd June where he is soliciting DICs whose contract end in August to come and bring money and be given government contracts is criminal and against the rules of the country.”
The angry MP further accused the Minister of attempting to negotiate the deal on the blind side of major stakeholders who were suppose to authorise the deal.
“Since when did Spio Garbrah become competent enough to negotiate behind the back of everybody, a judgement debt settlement?All judgements debts are paid through the Ministry of Finance, where has Spio Garbrah, on whose authority is he seeking to negotiate the payment of judgement debt? Is he the Minister of Finance?” Opoku Prempeh queried.
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah