A group affiliated to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) known as the Northern Youth for Nana Akufo Addo (NAYONA) has called for immediate forensic audit of the accounts of the Savannah Accelerated Development (SADA).
The group in a petitioned signed by its Secretary, Shamuna Ghazi alleged that SADA is bedeviled with massive corruption.
According to him, the alleged corruption discovered at SADA under the watch of the Chief Executive Officer, Charles Abugri required thorough investigations.
This comes at the back of similar financial “Malfeasance” uncovered at the Public Utility and Regulatory Commission (PURC).
Shamuna Ghazi made a passionate appeal to the office of the President and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to probe SADA management.
Below is the group’s statement.
PRESS STATEMENT BY NORTHERN YOUTH FOR AKUFO ADDO (NAYONA)
THE ROT AND MALFEASANCE AT SADA, PRESIDENT AKUFFO ADDO AND ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZED CRIME OFFICE (EOCO) MUST COME IN
Ladies and Gentlemen from the press, we are glad that you have made time to cover our maiden press conference.
We invited you here today to express our deepest disquiet about happenings at the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) was established by Act 805, 2010 as an independent and autonomous statutory corporation to “provide a framework for the comprehensive and long-term development of the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone”.
SADA has its constitutional foundations in Article 36 (2) (d) of the Fourth Republican Constitution, which states that “the state is enjoined in the directive principles of state policy to take the necessary steps to establish a sound and healthy economy through the undertaking of even and balanced development of all regions and improvement of conditions of life in the rural areas.
Furthermore, imbalances in the development between the rural and urban areas should be redressed to ensure balanced regional development”.
Ladies and gentlemen, the increasing scandals, malfeasance and other corrupt practices that SADA has been bedeviled with several problems that are of public knowledge which question the running of this great institution.
NAYONA has noted the reckless expenditure and scandalous activities that has taken hold of the current management SADA and the reckless nature with which it is misusing our resources.
It is as a result of this that Northern Ghana is gradually grinding to an economic halt.
There are no support schemes for indigenous businesses not to talk of a very good relationship between the business community and SADA.
The leadership has created a cabalistic system where they do not practice an open door policy, no citizen of Northern Ghana knows what is happening, yet a very beautiful picture is created in the media as if all is well which in truth the current leadership of SADA has never descended from its high administrative pedestals’ to connect with the ordinary citizen within the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.
SADA TRI-CYCLE PROJECT AND MATTERS ARISING
In 2015, SADA went into a partnership with Unik Designs through the public private partnership (PPP) which they formed Uniq Savannah Limited as a private sector company specialized in the assembling of tri-cycle on hire purchase bases, hey intended to establish a plant in Tamale.
We are aware the company assembled tricycles and other motorbikes for was distributed and it is on record that 5000 tricycles was assembled which about 2500 was distributed.
Management of SADA should answer the following questions:
1. On funding, how much money was used in the establishment of Uniq Savannah, it’s on record that SADA is a partner and guaranteed for a loan facility on behalf of Uniq savannah?
After accessing the loan, what has been Uniq Savannah’s commitment towards settling the debt and from which bank was the loan accessed?
2. Bank of Ghana and ADB Bank played various roles, what roles did they play and what was the results?
3. The 2,500 tricycles that were distributed, how they were distributed and who guaranteed for whom and most importantly what has been the beneficiaries’ commitment?
4. Where is the current management of Uniq Savannah who were they when the company started and what is the current state of affairs of the company with regards to their employees?
5. How much was paid by beneficiaries, and how much has been recovered?
6. Did any political party or Member of Parliament play a role in the distribution of the tricycles and what role did they play?
270 SADA MAHINDRA TRACTORS
In 2012 SADA took delivery of 270 new Mahindra tractors valued at $6,120 million meant to increase agricultural production in the savannah zones and modernize the process to sustain food security but the implementation was marred to challenges. The current leadership of SADA initiated steps to dispose of the tractors. We want an explanation from them how was the tractors sold and how much was realized from the sale and most importantly who supervised the sale?
RENOVATION OF SADA AND FENCING OF NEW SADA OFFICE COMPLEX LAND
After the 7th December, elections in which the NPP was victorious, there was a directive by then leader of the incoming administration transition team in person of Hon. Yaw Osaafo Marfo that no state institution should award contracts which the current SADA leadership ignored and went ahead to award the contract for the renovation of the current SADA Office and the wire fencing of a parcel of land secured for the construction of a new SADA complex directly opposite the Northern Regional police Commander’s residence along the Regional Coordinating Council road.
We believe that these projects should be investigated as it is a deliberate attempt of causing financial loss to the state because very soon the construction of the office complex would start and the wire fence would be removed and moreover the said land is a state land and cannot be encroached on and more so SADA is on a rented building which is owned by the defunct Ghana Cotton Company Limited and we want to know what are the terms and conditions of the rent between SADA and the current owner of the property. We want to know which contractor renovated the rented SADA secretariat and at what cost?
RECRUITMENT OF LEGAL OFFICER AND DIRECTOR
Prior to the December, 7th elections, Lawyer Shaibu Mahama (Obey) was the legal officer/director of SADA and after the elections Lawyer Shaibu was elected as the Member of Parliament for Daboya Constituency and it is on record that no institution should employ anyone but the current management refused and employed a new legal officer/director of SADA.
The processes that led to the recruitment should be investigated.
Before the December elections SADA had Six (6) Combine Harvesters and immediately NDC lost the election four (4) of the Combine Harvesters were sold and sent to Kumasi. We want to know who sanctioned the sale and why was it sold at that time and what was the spirit behind the sale.
We call on EOCO to investigate the matter to unravel the mystery behind the sales.
We are disturbed by the current malfeasance and scandalous activities which are grave and sobering and impinge on the integrity not only of the current management but also of the image of the Ghanaian Republic.
These allegations must not be glossed over and brushed under the carpet by the usually lackadaisical or complicit workings of partisan politics.
We call on the President of the Republic, His Excellency President Akufo Addo and the
Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to intervene for an independent investigation into the damning scandalous activities at SADA and a no-holds-barred criminal prosecution of anyone found to be on the wrong side of Ghanaian law in this scandalous development.
Thank you.
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