Alex Afenyo Markin, the lawyer for the freight forwarder who sued government over Ghana’s single window project deal with West Blue Consulting has threatened to return to court over the same issue.
His threat comes on the back of a purported letter from the Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Service, which directed the Destination Inspection Companies (DICs) to hand over their “Classification, Valuation and Risk Management functions.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”qG09vhc8rUOjQ0Ba4dHYu07OLWOR9OaT”]The freight forwarder, Michael Kweku Djan wanted the court to declare that “the single-sourcing of the National Single Window and Risk Management System Project in favour of West Blue Ghana Consulting is a breach of Section 40 of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).”
But the trial Judge, Justice Anthony Yeboah struck the case explaining that Michael Kweku Djan was trying to pre-empt the project which was yet to be awarded to the West Blue.
Meanwhile, a letter addressed to the Chief of Staff and signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Operations at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Frederick Gavor stated that effective 1st September 2015, all imports though the frontiers, air and sea ports will be processed by Ghana Customs through the Pre-Arrival Assessment Repot System (PAARS), for the issuance of Customs Classification and Valuation Report (CCVR), which replaces the Final Classification and Valuation Report (FCVR).
“All active FCVRs (under processing and unutilized) will however be allowed in the current Destination Inspection System for the next thirty (30) days ending 2nd October 2015. Ghana community Network (GCNet) will cease transmission and receipt of completed FCVRs from DICs at the end of the grace period in October,” the letter added.
It also added that test run of the Software will start on 9th August 2015, adding that GCNet and West Blue are to make available their systems for the test run.
Outraged by the letter, Afenyo Markin said on Eyewitness News, that they will return to court because the said letter shows that “a contact has been entered and the order is to demonstrate that there is an eminent breach of our right to have equal opportunity to put in your bid.”
“Something has been done by the ministry through their conduct in furtherance of the chief of staff’s directive, and to me, once certain efforts have been made and there is ample evidence that there is going to be a takeover by West Blue, there is an eminent risk,” he added.
“…government through its conduct and through this letter shows that it has something to hide. Government at the time it made certain representations in court knew that it was acting contrary to law and to me, it is not only something that government did to deceive the court but it’s also an act in bad faith,” added Afenyo Markin.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana