Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has claimed that a prominent figure from the company involved in the $34.9 million ambulance spare parts scandal has longstanding business connections with two of President Akufo-Addo’s daughters.
In a social media update on July 24, Ablakwa, the North Tongu MP, suggested that his parliamentary probe has unveiled why Service Ghana Auto Group Limited received preferential treatment, including inflated contracts, despite concerning audit reports.
Ablakwa shared documents showing that Stephen Okoro, a key director at Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, has been a close business partner of President Akufo-Addo’s daughters, Gyankroma and Edwina Akufo-Addo.
Specifically, Okoro and Gyankroma are listed as directors of SFO Initiatives Limited, established on August 9, 2013.
Additionally, they, along with Edwina, co-founded Goodbox Limited on August 12, 2020, with Okoro serving as secretary.
Another company, Good Grow Limited, incorporated on August 20, 2020, also lists the daughters as directors and Okoro as secretary.
Ablakwa asserts that these connections may explain why Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta expedited the $34.9 million deal before leaving office despite numerous red flags. He has urged the Special Prosecutor to investigate the matter further.
Gyankroma Akufo-Addo
Edwina Akufo-Addo in a wedding gown and husband on the left
Edwina Akufo-Addo and husband
The documents highlight several key points:
Unusual Favoritism: Service Ghana Auto Group Limited received significant financial approval and prompt payments despite Ghana’s broader economic struggles. Notably, Ken Ofori-Atta, then Finance Minister, approved a $34.9 million deal for ambulance spare parts on February 9, 2024, and directed the release of $10 million (GHS120,711,000.00) to the company.
Irregularities: Audits revealed that Service Ghana Auto Group Limited was engaged for maintenance services before its official incorporation. Additionally, the company was paid for services before being formally contracted, and there were multiple procurement breaches and inflated invoices.
Family Connections: Ablakwa’s investigation uncovered that Stephen Okoro, a director at Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, has business ties with President Akufo-Addo’s daughters. Okoro is linked to several companies formed with Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Edwina Akufo-Addo, including SFO Initiatives Limited, Goodbox Limited, and Good Grow Limited. The latter is focused on cannabis farming, capitalizing on Ghana’s new legal cannabis regime.
Nepotism Allegations: The documents suggest that the approval of the deal and payments to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited were influenced by family connections, challenging President Akufo-Addo’s earlier promises to avoid nepotism in his administration.
Ablakwa has submitted these findings and supporting documents to the Office of the Special Prosecutor and urges a thorough investigation. He is also advocating against the remaining $24.9 million payment.
Ablakwa concludes that the scandal is a stark example of corruption, which he argues disproportionately affects the poor, echoing Pope Francis’s criticism of corruption.
See post below:
The US$34.9million Ambulance Spare Parts Scandal — Unmasking the Powerful People behind the Notorious Service Ghana Auto Group Limited
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) July 24, 2024
We have all been wondering what makes Service Ghana Auto Group Limited so special that Ken Ofori-Atta could not leave the Finance Ministry… pic.twitter.com/p48WkLPqlz