The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah has tasked the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate allegations of organized crime in the award of road contracts in the country.
This is in response to an interview in which a former Rector of GIMPA, Prof. Stephen Adei claimed there was corruption in the award of road contracts.
In the interview with Accra-based TV3 Prof. Adei said he had information to the effect that persons seeking road contracts were told: “This road contract would be given to you, provided you put one million upfront, not after you have gotten the money. This is what Akufo-Addo must be thinking about and if he knows about it, he must be ashamed.
“That now his people demand from you a certain amount before you would be considered for a job. Why? Because when they get it, whether the government pays you or not they have gotten their money. It is as if people are in a hurry to loot the country before the end of Akufo-Addo’s term.”
“One of the greatest disappointments of Nana Akufo-Addo’s regime is that honestly, he raised the hope of Ghanaians. Ghanaians expected they have gotten a leader with a vision, with the charisma, with the determination and it seems if he doesn’t redeem himself in the next 14 months, he would go down in history as one of the most disappointing leaders,” he said.
The Roads Ministry in a statement issued on Monday October 23, 2023 indicated that “These allegations are surprising at the least because the processes leading to the award of road contracts are open, transparent, competitive and by the law.”
“Given that the alleged conduct borders on the commission of a crime against the Republic, the Minister of Roads and Highway, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has today, 23rd October 2023, requested the Executive Director of the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to fully investigate the allegations.” the statement said.
The Ministry further assured the public that it would cooperate fully and support EOCO in the conduct of its investigation.
Below is the statement
