The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned Bright Oduro Kwarteng and Theophilus Okine, who made claims amounting to GH₵8.2 million intended for the construction of household toilet facilities under the former Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources’ “Toilet for All” project.
According to the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, efforts to verify the claims have been hindered after the officials involved indicated that the supporting documents had been forwarded to the National Archives.
Appearing before the Committee, the sector minister, Ahmed Ibrahim, disclosed that although mobilisation funds had been paid, no work had been executed.
“The good news is that the officers who handled this transaction are still at post in other ministries. The Director for Procurement was one Mr. Theophilus Okine, who is at the Ministry of Defence. The other is one Bright Oduro Kwarteng, who is now Director of Finance at the Ministry of Trade and Agribusiness.
“We have the names of the contractors here and the various contracts. They were given mobilization, but they did not go to the site,” he said.
He further revealed that the previous government had initiated steps to abrogate the contract and re-award it for execution.
On his part, the Ranking Member on the committee, Samuel Atta-Mills, condemned the situation and directed the summoning of the officials involved.
“Wherever the documents are, they would have to come with them. You pay somebody mobilisation to go and work, the person doesn’t do it, takes the money, then you come back to abrogate this contract, repackage it and give it to somebody,” he said.
