The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is set to haul two public officials, Bright Oduro Kwarteng and Theophilus Okine, before it to answer for GH¢8.2 million in claims meant for the ‘Toilet for All’ project. The funds were intended for the construction of household toilets under the former Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources during the previous NPP administration in 2019.
The move follows revelations that payment documents for the program’s contracts cannot be located. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, informed the committee that verification efforts were stalled after officials claimed the supporting documents had been sent to the National Archives.
Minister Ibrahim disclosed that while mobilization funds were paid to contractors, no work was carried out. He noted that the previous government had started the process to cancel and re-award the contracts.
“The truth of the matter is that this transaction took place at the erstwhile Ministry oof Sanitation and Water Resources and it was under the leadership of honourable Cecilia Abena Dapaah and I think it was 2019,” he stated.
The Minister identified the key officers involved as Mr. Okine, the former Director for Procurement now at the Ministry of Defence, and Mr. Bright Oduro Kwarteng, currently the Director of Finance at the Ministry of Trade and Agrobusiness. Challenging the claim that documents were archived, he added: “The thing is not up to ten years and you say that they have been sent to archives. Mr. Chairman, we have the names of the contractors and the contracts. They were given mobilization and they did not go to site. We will provide it to the Committee so that you can call them.”
In response, the Ranking Member of the PAC, Samuel Atta-Mills, directed that the officials and current relevant staff be summoned to appear with the missing records.
“Also invite the Minister and the current people out there. And wherever the documents are, they will have to come with them. You pay somebody mobilization to go and work, the person doesn’t do it, takes the money. Then you come back and want to abrogate the contract, repackage it and give it to somebody. When all of you come, we will do it live,” Atta-Mills emphasized.