Ablakwa Runs To World Bank: Demands Probe Into Shady Contract Allegedly Awarded By Ursula Owusu

• The North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has petitioned the World Bank to investigate a project it is funding in Ghana
• The project in question is being rolled out by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation at a cost of $48 million.
• Communications minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has been accused of awarding the $48 million contract without due approval.

The North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has petitioned the World Bank to investigate the Ascend project being rolled out by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.

In multiple statements on social media, the MP has accused the communications minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful of awarding a $48 million contract without due approval.

Ablkawa has also said there will be “more actions to follow” on the matter.

Yesterday, I successfully petitioned the World Bank & World Bank Ghana Office to launch investigations into the litany of irregularities, misrepresentation, insider dealing & conflict of interest relating to the US$48million Ascend Scandal and how that was used to fraudulently secure a US$49.5million World Bank funded eTransform project which was also awarded to Ascend under an AirtelTigo/Ascend JV.

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The Public Procurement Authority seemed to confirm the concerns with a response to an RTI request from the North Tongu MP.

Ablakwa, who has made several corruption claims in the past on social media, said he noted the irregularities in the conduct of his constitutional parliamentary oversight duties.

He said these irregularities were "fundamental breaches of the Bank's Anti-Corruption Guidelines".

Details of the allegations

The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation in December 2022 awarded the World Bank-funded project worth $49.5 million to Messrs. Airtel Ghana Limited and Ascend Digital Solutions Limited.

The contract is for the procurement of connectivity needed to increase high-speed government Connectivity to District Centres, Hospitals, Police Stations and Post Offices in five lots under the eTransform Project.

In his petition to the World Bank, Ablakwa said the petition was anchored on "unimpeachable documents".

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"Considering the fact that all these significant quantum of money are loans which the already burdened Ghanaian taxpayer would be required to redeem, it is absolutely essential that the Ghanaian people whom we represent in Parliament are assured of value for money, transparency. accountability and integrity."

The communications minister has denied any wrongdoing in the award of the contract.

Ursula's past troubles with fellow MPs

YEN.com.gh previously reported on how some MPs moved to summon the communications minister over concerns with the government takeover of AirtelTigo in 2021.

Owusu-Ekuful, at the time, described the takeover as a positive step.

She also refuted claims that the takeover of AirtelTigo, which recently changed its name to AT, would lead to job losses.

Source: YEN.com.gh