The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has accused the previous Akufo-Addo administration of engaging in a third-party contract that allegedly diverts revenue from the National Information Technology Agency (NITA). He claims that although services are operated using NITA’s infrastructure, the generated revenue is funnelled to a third-party firm, leaving a meagre 25 Ghana Cedis in NITA’s account.
Addressing journalists on Monday, March 24 Sam George described the situation as a case of state capture. “National Information Technology Agency (NITA), for example, has 25 Ghana Cedis, 8 pesewas as its bank balance at the Bank of Ghana. Meanwhile, the agency owes GHC813,486,505.89. This is the ministry we took over,” he lamented. He further revealed that NITA has a contractual agreement with a third-party vendor, which he has summoned for questioning.
“NITA has a certain contract arrangement with a third-party vendor. I have summoned that third-party vendor to appear before me tomorrow because I do not understand how all the revenue coming to NITA is being redirected. The previous administration signed a contract that diverts all of these funds, giving them to a third party,” he alleged.
He added that despite services running on NITA’s infrastructure, payments meant for the agency are instead directed to a private company.
“The payment for services using NITA’s infrastructure, which I was supposed to approve to a third-party company, was almost four million Ghana Cedis. I have refused to sign it and have referred it to the Attorney General.
I will not authorise such payments until I understand why NITA is not receiving a dime while a private sector player is using NITA’s infrastructure and earning almost four million Ghana Cedis. Meanwhile, all the debt is sitting on NITA’s books while the revenue goes to the private sector,” he stated.
Describing the situation as a “true definition of state capture,” the Minister vowed to provide a detailed briefing to Parliament on the alleged financial mismanagement within the ministry. “The ministry is a true definition of state capture. I will come to the house and brief the house extensively on the rot in the ministry.”
