Petition to the commission on human rights AND ADMINISTRATIVE JUSTICE (CHRAJ) WITH RESPECT TO CORRUPTION AND ABUSE OF OFFICE BY ROBERT KEMPES OFOSUWARE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE TEMA METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY.
1. I am a public spirited resident of Tema and a management consultant by profession who has served as an elected member of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly from 1994 to 1998 representing the Kwesi Plange Electoral Area.
2. My experience and motivation in public life has strengthened my view that corruption and abuse of office in our local government system is the greatest challenge to national development.
3. Thus I wish to place before you the following complaint of corruption and abuse of office against Mr. Kempes Ofosuware, with regards to his conduct as Chief Executive Officer of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.
A. Award of fake Grass Cutting and Supply Contracts
4. Mr. Kempes Ofosuware over the past four years has instituted the practice of awarding several fake contracts. Of illustrative interest is the award of Weeding/Grass Cutting Contracts meant to clear bushes along the streets and other areas of the metropolis to ensure environmental sanity. The contracts are however awarded to persons who front for him and do no work whiles invoices are prepared for payment.
5. Pictures of the site, before work, during work and after completion of work were never taken, including violation of inspection procedures despite the insistence and protest of the Senior Internal Auditor of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Mr. Peter Onanjiri Nimotim indicated in a letter of 31st August 2012 Director-General of the internal Audit Agency, copied the Chief of Staff.
6. Another example of the violation of contract procedures was the supply of hampers by in for the 2012 Christmas and New Year festivities. Mr. Ofosuware intervened for payment without allowing auditors to conduct inspection as should be the case.
7. The above and many other violations of contract practices I believe strongly, was motivated by personal economic gain of the MCE.
B. ABUSE OF OFFICE
8. Mr. Ofosuware employs his office to victimize and discriminate against well meaning officials of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly who seek to ensure the protection of the public purse. A clear case in point is the Internal Auditor, Mr. Peter Onanjiri Nimotim who has been transferred to the Northern Regional Coordinating Committee upon the direct recommendation of Mr. Kempes Ofosuware for raising legitimate questions on financial irregularities.
9. Mr. Peter Onanjiri Nimotim indicated in his petition that he believes strongly that his transfer was irregular and discriminative. I share strongly in the opinion that action by Mr. Ofosuware constitutes abuse of office.
10. In 2010, Mr. Kempes Ofosuware, motivated by personal financial gain attempted the forced displacement of fishermen and fishmongers at the Tema canoe beach site meant for the construction of an oil palm processing plant for Willmar Oil Palm Company Ltd.
11. This obviously anti-people and anti-social activity of disrupting the livelihood of over two thousand families led to the death of two persons when security forces attempted to displace fishermen and fishmongers.
C. CORRUPTION
12. Mr. Kempes Ofosuware, consistent with his vow of employing his public office for personal gain has extorted GHC 1,570.00 from over fifty economically desperate members of the public to provide them with vehicles. The moneys were collected directly by him in his office or by one Mr. Mustafa Darko, who happens to be the Tema East Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on his behalf.
13. It is interesting to note that not a single receipt was provided any payment although Mr. Ofosuware has publicly admitted receiving the monies. Find attached a letter addressed to Mr. Ofosuware by Mr. Alexander Atta Gyamfi and two other victims. Mr. Gyamfi paid an amount of GHC 1,570.00 to Mr. Kempes Ofosuware in his office on the 14th of August 2011. A car allocated to Mr. Gyamfi was taken possession of by Mr. Mustafa Darko. Fortunately, Mr. Gyamfi got to know of it two years later when the State Insurance Company (SIC), the insurers of the vehicle, drew his attention to it.
14. This matter has become an issue of public discussion and interest and has earned the attention of media houses over the past five months and it will be an indictment on our shared commitment to good governance if this matter is brought to your attention and necessary action. Please find attached a complaint by three of the victims.
15. When Mr. Kempes Ofosuware became MCE of Tema, he engaged Mr. Kwesi Poku a childhood friend at the Civil Engineering Department of TMA, and also supported him to get elected as a Member of the Assembly, after loosing the election earlier on. Kempes arranged for Mr. Kwesi Poku to become Chairman of the Public Works Committee of the Assembly, a committee which oversees all public engineering works. Mr. Kwesi Poku on behalf of Mr. Kempes Ofosuware has been collecting monies from developers. They are both putting up houses at community 25 and Gas Service Stations at vantage points in the Metropolis.
16. I belief strongly that conduct of Mr. Ofosuware stands against the public good and needs serious redress by your office.
Counting on your commitment to accountability and the fight against corruption, please accept my profound regards.
Signed Dated 3rd June2013, Tema
Mr. Jake Addo
1/S…. Site 18 C1 Tema
054 1931 435
Email: [email protected]