Joy News investigations have uncovered massive irregularities in the award of contracts at the Sunyani Municipal Assembly where contractors, including a brother of the MCE, used fake documents to secure government contracts totaling ȼ30million.
In the first part of this two-part investigative story, Kwetey Nartey reports that the contractors may also have evaded taxes.
The 2010 tender report on projects by the Sunyani Municipal Assembly gives a vivid account of contract irregularities.
Twelve contractors who submitted bids for projects the assembly advertised used forged tax clearance certificates.
Close relatives of the Municipal Chief Executive, Kwasi Oppong Ababio, were awarded contracts though they submitted forged tax clearance certificates.
PRIKUBIS Enterprise owned by Fred Appiah was selected to construct a three-unit classroom block at Daadom valued at ȼ 56,724.
Kennedy Yeboah of Log Cabin Enterprise was awarded a contract to construct another 3-unit classroom block at Yawhima for ȼ 56, 931.
Both companies used fake documents to secure the contracts. These are not the only contracts the assembly awarded to contractors with forged documents.
A 20-seater public toilet facility at New Dormaa was given to Takyi Arhin of Emmanuel Ohene Darko Enterprise. He also used fake tax clearance certificate.
Officials at the Ghana Revenue Authority confirmed the forged tax details on the clearance certificate used to secure contracts at the assembly.
On the tax clearance certificate, the contractors made ȼ26,841,699 and claimed to have paid tax of ȼ12, 699,850.
This means the 12 contractors may have evaded tax to the tune of ȼ12 million Ghana or may have under-declared despite winning fat government contracts.
Joy News’ checks reveal that the newspaper in which the Sunyani Assembly advertises the contracts, The Pioneer, does not exist.
When the MCE’s office was contacted, he gave a condition that he would only speak if the source of the story was disclosed.
Meanwhile, the police have revealed that four of the contractors were arrested and bailed pending investigations.
But, that was four years ago and they’re yet to be arraigned before court.
