Ghana: NIA Contract — Ken Attafuah hits back at Kennedy Agyapong
Published: 3/Jun/2018
Source: Pulse.com.gh
By Abu Mubarik
He denied ever receiving gift of land from the CEO of Identity Management Systems Ltd (IMS), Mr. Moses Baiden, to award his company the national identification card registration contract.
The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Professor Ken Attafuah, has denied claims by the Member of Parliament for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong that he is corrupt.
READ MORE: NIA now says Ghana Card to cost nation $293m; not $1.2bn
He denied ever receiving gift of land from the CEO of Identity Management Systems Ltd (IMS), Mr. Moses Baiden, to award his company the national identification card registration contract.
“I have not taken a bribe from Mr. Moses Baiden or anyone else. I have not received a gift of land, cash or any other object of valuable consideration from any person for any work I have done or will do in future. I have not stolen any money from anyone. I have, on the contrary, acted with utmost integrity and professionalism and served the best interests of Ghana with my best intellect and best industry in my capacity as Ag. Executive Secretary of the NIA,” he said in a lengthy statement.
He continued: “Regrettably, it appears that most people believe that if you are the head of a statutory body, you must be corrupt or dishonest, and you must be in a position to award contracts to companies and individuals as you please. I do not share those views, and I am not a rogue Ag. Executive Secretary. I will put anyone asserting the contrary, including their agents, privies or assigns who gives the platform for these vituperative and utterly defamatory statements to be made, to the strictest proof.”
Prof. Attafuah also denied the MP’s claim that the contract awarded to IMS was $1.2 billion, clarifying that it cost the nation $293 million in a public private partnership agreement.
He said: “The NIS project to deliver ID cards to all Ghanaians is over a period of one year. Within this period, the State is committed to spending $124m while the private partner, IMS, is committed to providing $169m.
“The total project cost for the delivery of the Ghana Card is therefore $293m and not 1.2bn USD. This total is expected to cover the technical and operational cost that will deliver ID Cards to all Ghanaians over the one year period and establish the National Identity Register and the entire NIS.”
Mr Agyapong had said in a broadcast discussion that the budgeted $1.2 billion intended to be used for the National Identification card as fraudulent.
Read the full statement on The Pulse website:
https://amp.pulse.com.gh/news/local/ken-attafuah-hits-back-at-kennedy-agyapong-id8451477.html