$179 million Kelni GVG deal: IMANI doing paid for advocacy for telcos - George Andah

Deputy Minister of Communications, Hon. George Andah has said that an assertion by the president of IMANI Africa Franklin Cudjoe is as a result of the benefits they get from the Telcos.

The MP for Awutu Senya West opines that a lot of countries have entered into a similar deal which came of benefit but the Imani boss is making allegations about the deal because they are contracted by Telcos to do advocacies for them.

“IMANI is known to be doing paid for advocacies for the Telcos, they are paid for any telecom issues that comes up,” he said.

According to him, IMANI is misinformed with the details of the deal and should seek clarity because the deal is for the best interest of Ghana and is to help put the telecommunication networks in check.

His comments come on the back of criticisms from the IMANI boss that the deal was careless duplication of jobs and a needless drain on the country’s scarce resources.

Speaking on Maakye aired on Kessben FM and Kessben TV, Hon Andah said reports suggesting the CEO of the Telecoms chamber is not in agreement with the deal is false.

“Imani CEO made claims that he spoke with Telco’s CEO, Ebenezer Asante and he also says that he is unhappy with the deal and it will not be good for Ghana.

I spoke to Ebenezer and he said he has not had any conversation like that with the Imani boss and they have not met or communicated for a year now.”

Background

On December 27, 2018, The ministry of finance and ministry of communication want into an agreement with Kelni GVG limited to provide design, development, and implementation of a common platform for traffic monitoring, revenue assurance, mobile money monitoring and fraud management.

CEO of Imani Africa Franklin Cudjoe has on various platforms considered the deal as needless and is a similar deal to Sudah and Afriwave which was signed by the then NDC government in 2010 and 2015 respectively.

“The new deal which is totally needless is to do the same thing i.e. ensure revenue assurance, monitor the platform for fraud. What has been added now is to monitor mobile money transactions on the platform.” He said, when speaking on Joy News.



The deal which is said to have cost $89 million raged controversies from different sectors with the editor-in-chief of the new crusading guide Kwaku Baako Jnr asking for an enquiry to be made in the deal. Speaking on Joy FM’s Newsfile he said “In spite of the fact that in terms of the explanations and clarifications, I’m inclined to at this stage to think that the Ministry of communications has a stronger case.”

“But I’m not going to say it is absolute. So, I call also for enquiry. For instance, the audit service is there, they can investigate the processes, value for money, audit and all the rest.”