The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has criticized the out-going Mahama government’s decision to sign an e-waste contract, days after it lost the general elections.
According to the GII, it would have been prudent for the National Democratic Congress government to have allowed such new contracts to be handled by the new government.
The Minister for Environment, Science Technology and Innovation, Mahama Ayariga defended an 18 million Euro contract with SCL Waste Management Limited, to recycle e-waste in the country.
But in a Citi News interview, the Executive Director of the GII, Linda Ofori Kwafo said, government had no business signing the deal.
She believes issues of judgement debt and other challenges might eventually spring up if government goes ahead to sign the contract and fails to follow due process.
“…We should actually have laid down procedures detailing what an outgoing government should do and what they should not do and if it is about contracts , how far have they gone with the process and where they have to halt for the new administration to take over. If you engage in any contract on behalf of Ghanaians and it is found out that due processes are not followed then issues of judgement debt and all its related issues will come up.”
Ayariga defends judgement debt contract
The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mahama Ayariga early on defended government’s decision to sign a new waste management contract worth €18 million days after his party’s defeat in the December 7 polls.
According to the outgoing Minister, he took the decision because it was duly forwarded to the Public Procurement Authority for approval before the defeat.
“An application was pending before the election and I duly forwarded it to the PPA for approval before the elections,” he said.
The Minister is said to have signed a new contract with SCL Waste Management Limited to recycle e-waste in the country despite putting efforts in place to hand over power to the New Patriotic Party government.
This follows concerns raised by the NPP’s transition team about some supposed last minute contracts being awarded by the outgoing NDC government.
But Mr. Ayariga on his Facebook page explained that “the cost of project is entirely borne by the applicant and they said it will cost them €18 million.”
“Ghana must have e-waste recycling capacity to solve problems such what we have at Abglogoshi and other sites,” he added.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah