The presidency, without recourse to proper tendering processes, awarded a $15million cocoa roads contract to the founder of the All People’s Congress (APC), Mr Hassan Ayariga, with which he is funding his party, dismissed General Secretary of the APC, Mr Razak Opoku, has said.
Countering claims by Mr Ayariga that he (Mr Opoku) and the vice-presidential candidate of the APC, Mr Emmanuel Carl Bartels (also dismissed) took a GHS15,000 bribe from the main opposition New Patriotic Party’s Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko in exchange for their endorsement of main opposition flag bearer Nana Akufo-Addo ahead of the 7 December polls, Mr Opoku said it was rather Mr Ayariga who received monetary benefits from Mr Mahama and the NDC, for which he has been compelled to endorse Mr Mahama out of gratitude.
“It is rather Hassan Ayariga – I was listening to him, he’s talking about spending millions of dollars [on his party] – the question is where did he get that millions of dollars? It’s from the NDC. Ask him: Is it not true that the presidency, the government gave him a $15million cocoa roads contract and he sourced [it] out to a Chinese company and he got 10 percent out of it? – A project that he jointly worked on with Joseph Anago. Call him to deny, he should swear with his life as to whether what I’m saying is not true.
“… That contract didn’t go through a proper tendering process. It was just sole sourcing. He had it and he sold it to a Chinese company and he got the three percent out of it and he used it to finance his company and he’s talking about spending millions of dollars as if it’s coming from his personal pocket. He shouldn’t bring allegations he cannot substantiate. But we can bring authoritative information with evidence and facts: the day the cheque was issued to him, the bank where he transacted that cheque, all are in our possession…”, Mr Opoku told Regina Borley Bortey on 12Live on Class91.3FM on Tuesday, 29 November.
On Mr Ayariga’s GHS15million bribery allegation against him and Mr Bartels, Mr Opoku said: “It’s not true. Hassan Ayariga is throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. It’s a palpable lie. When Gabby was giving us $15,000, was he a witness? … As far as we are concerned, we took a decision to affirm the rank and file of the party’s wishes and desire to endorse Nana Akufo-Addo with no monetary gains.”
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