Ablakwa flags alleged ‘sleazy’ 12 million cedis contract approval by ADB Board

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has raised red flags over what he describes as a ‘dubious’ electronic servicing contract approved by the Board of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB). According to him, the ‘politically motivated’ contract, valued at US$750,000.00 (GHS12 million), was approved on December 23 without undergoing the mandatory audit.

In a social media post, Ablakwa disclosed:

Deep throat sources at ADB tell me they are under extreme political pressure to effect full payment by tomorrow, the 27th of December, 2024.

Top ADB insiders are shocked at the Board’s decision because, apart from this deal not going through the audit department, negotiations with the vendor, Virtual Security Africa, have not been concluded, particularly as the main agreement is still in draft form.

In his post, the lawmaker raised concerns over continued payments by state institutions despite warnings issued by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) transition team. He stated:

The mad rush for midnight contracts and payments has reached uncontrollable levels despite a clear caution from the President-elect’s Transition Team — a caution consistent with what the NPP demanded in 2016

Fortunately, we have intercepted a considerable number of these internal memos on these dubious transactions, and the public officials who succumb to unlawful political pressure and effect payments will have themselves to blame after January 7, 2025.

Meanwhile, the NDC’s transition team has vowed to reverse all last-minute recruitments, payments, and promotions made by the outgoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

While the NDC transition team has flagged these actions as illegal and made in bad faith, the NPP's transition team has defended them, asserting that President Nana Akufo-Addo's mandate extends until January 6, 2025.

In a statement dated December 17, the NDC transition team described these decisions as acts of bad faith and declared that they would be reversed once the formal transfer of power occurs.

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