The pressure group wrote a letter addressed to the Office of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Bank of Ghana, and the Ministry of Finance.
Pressure group, Occupy Ghana has requested for the details of the contract signed between the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and Sibton Switch Systems Limited to provide a mobile money interoperability platform.
The pressure group wrote a letter addressed to the Office of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Bank of Ghana, and the Ministry of Finance.
The erstwhile Mahama administration signed a contract which would have cost the country 4.6 billion cedis but was abrogated by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration when it came into office.
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The contract was then awarded to the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GHIPSS) who executed the project for 4.6 million dollars.
Occupy Ghana has also requested for details of the contract signed with GHIPSS in their letter which also included the Chief of Staff as a recipient.
“OccupyGhana® respectfully writes to formally request for copies of contract documents and agreements between the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and Sibton Switch Systems Limited in relation to the Mobile Money Interoperability contract abrogated by the current Government of Ghana. We specifically require documents relating to and surrounding the termination of the Sibton Contract.”
“We, additionally, request to be furnished with all relevant documents pertaining to the new contract signed with the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) to execute the Mobile Money Interoperability project.”
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The deals have become an issue of concern after the new platform was launched by Dr Bawumia, with many criticising the previous government of inflating the cost of the project.
However, a former Second Deputy Governor of the BoG Dr Johnson Asiama Monday, who resigned from the Bank last year said it would be erroneous to compare to the system Sibton Switch was contracted to build to what was recently launched.
“I am out of office, and I cannot say what is being done now, but if I look at the details and scope of work in the original contract as stated here, it goes far beyond what was launched last week… It is like comparing antelope and an elephant. I am not sure the price will be same,” he said.
Below is the letter from Occupy Ghana
The Governor,
Bank of Ghana,
High Street, Accra.
Dear Sir,
REQUEST FOR COPIES OF ALL SIBTON SWITCH AND GHIPPS CONTRACT DOCUMENTS
OccupyGhana® respectfully writes to formally request for copies of contract documents and agreements between the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and Sibton Switch Systems Limited in relation to the Mobile Money Interoperability contract abrogated by the current Government of Ghana. We specifically require documents relating to and surrounding the termination of the Sibton Contract.
We, additionally, request to be furnished with all relevant documents pertaining to the new contract signed with the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Limited (GhIPSS) to execute the Mobile Money Interoperability project.
We further request to be furnished with all related tender documents and legal opinions obtained by you in relation to the above mentioned contracts between you and the two contractors (Sibton Switch and GhIPSS).
We count on you to furnish us with the requested contract and tender documents no more than 14 calendar days after the date of issuance of this letter.
We would appreciate it if your good office considers our request under the enshrined citizens’ Right to Information under Article 21 of the 1992 Ghana Constitution.
Yours faithfully,
Kwaku Segbefia,
For OccupyGhana®
CC:
1. Office of the Vice President 2. The Ministe
Jubilee House Ministry of Finance & Economic Planning Ministries, Accra
3. The Chief of Staff
Office of the President
Jubilee House
Accra