The Attorney-General's department has directed that GH¢15.5 million paid to drivers’ licence printing company Foto-X is an overpayment and should be refunded.
The Economic and Organised Crime Office found that although Foto-X was due to be paid GH¢5,544,000, the Driver Vehicle and Licencing Authority (DVLA) paid out GH¢20.9 million between 2006 and 2012, the duration of its first contract with Foto-X to the company.
EOCO investigated a drivers’ licence printing contract between DVLA and Foto-X after auditors found that the contract sum had ballooned over time. The $3.3million contract signed by the then Chief Executive of the DVLA, Mr Justice Amegashie, caused controversy when the figure was later found out to have nearly tripled to $9.9 million.
Facing Parliament’s Transport Committee Justice Amegashie begged Ghanaians for forgiveness after failing to explain the mysterious jump in the contract sum. His ‘to err is human’ explanation triggered a public bashing and outrage on social media. After investigating the saga, EOCO threatened to charge him with causing financial loss to the state and recommended to the A-G to take legal action against Foto-X.
A report from the A-G’s department described the contract as fraudulent. The department directed the cancellation of the contract which was renewed in 2012. According to the A-G, the contract was a turn-key project, suggesting it ought not to have been extended or renewed once Foto-X had built a system to print drivers' licences.
The contract was first signed in 2006 and was meant to end in 2012. But Justice Amegashie soon after his appointment, renewed the deal with a huge jump in the sum. The A-G's department says no payment should be made to Foto-X for the second contract as renewed in 2012.
Source: myjoyonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |