Ghana faces a potential multi-million dollar judgment debt crisis, stemming from the controversial cancellation of a $69 million road contract.
This unfolding drama centers around the GNPC Board Chairman and former NPP National Chairman, Mr. Freddie Blay, along with key members of the Roads and Highways Authority.
The contract in question was originally awarded to Top International Engineering Ltd. for the construction of a 71-kilometer road within the GNPC enclave in Mpataban-Half Asini, located in the Western Region.
Initially awarded under the last NDC government in 2014, the contract was part of a larger effort to improve infrastructure in the area.
However, the project quickly became mired in complications and allegations of mismanagement.
Investigative journalist Daniel Benin, also known as Ohim, uncovered the intricate web of secrecy surrounding this contract.
His relentless pursuit of the truth has brought to light a series of questionable decisions and actions by GNPC’s leadership under Freddie Blay and the Roads and Highways Ministry.
The project, awarded under a “design and build” contract, encountered delays due to IMF-imposed spending restrictions, forcing the government to seek alternative financing.
In 2017, under the newly elected NPP administration, GNPC stepped in to provide funding through a gentleman’s agreement with the Roads and Highways Ministry. However, this intervention led to significant changes in the contract.
During Freddie Blay’s tenure as GNPC Chairman, the original contract was mysteriously split into two lots and re-assigned to two companies: Myturn Construction Ltd. and KYNSPORT Ghana Limited.
According to sources within the GNPC and Roads and Highways Authority, these changes were made despite concerns that the newly appointed contractors lacked the financial and technical capabilities required for such a large-scale project.
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Tragically, the CEO of Myturn Construction, Mr. Kenneth Anewenah, passed away on July 23, 2022, further complicating the situation.
The company’s website now indicates that it is permanently closed, raising questions about the status of the project and the payments made.
Despite the original contractor, Top International Engineering Ltd., having the financial and technical capacity to pre-finance the project, GNPC’s leadership pressed ahead with the reassignment to Myturn Construction Ltd. and KYNSPORT Ltd. Both companies were reportedly paid mobilization fees, yet the project remains incomplete, with significant portions of the road left untouched since 2014.
KYNSPORT Ltd., after receiving the re-awarded contract, has made some progress, raising four payment certificates, two of which have been honored.
Myturn Construction Ltd., on the other hand, despite receiving mobilization fees and failing to commence work, managed to raise two payment certificates, with one being honored. It remains unclear whether these payments were made before or after the CEO’s death.
When questioned about these developments, Freddie Blay initially refused to comment without an official request.
However, in a subsequent phone conversation, he acknowledged that the GNPC board had disagreed with the original contract being awarded to Top International Engineering Ltd., leading to the appointment of Myturn Construction Ltd. instead.
He insisted that the Roads and Highways Authority was responsible for shortlisting contractors and issuing payment certificates, absolving the GNPC of direct responsibility.
As this legal battle looms, Ghana faces not only a potential financial burden but also a crisis of integrity within its public institutions.
The need for transparency and accountability is more urgent than ever, as the public’s trust in the nation’s leadership hangs in the balance.
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