�We�re Not Faceless Group�

Fred Amankwa Sarfo, the General Secretary of the Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has refuted allegations made by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) boss, Dr Steven Opuni that the PNF does not exist and is working under the influence of some angry officials of the FDB, saying the group truly exists. According to Mr Amankwa Sarfo, PNF, a registered organisation, is to help the government and civil society fight corruption in the country. �We got our information from within the FDB because our sources believe in our fight against corruption and not from Mr Agyarko and Dr Alex Dodoo as suggested by the FDB Boss,� Mr Amankwa Sarfo corrected. Mr Amankwa Sarfo made these revelations during a press conference to set the record straight following Dr Opuni�s reactions to some investigations carried out by the group concerning serious issues of corruption and abuse of office among others. Their allegations against Dr Opuni include the use of an amount of $84,000 in paying a two-year rent advance for his official residence at Kanda in Accra, $144,000 used to pay rent for the FDB office accommodation and an additional Toyota V8 Land Cruiser vehicle for his official assignment. �All the above transactions took place without recourse to the Governing Board which violates the Financial Administration Act 2003, the Public Procurement Act, 2003 and other statutory regulation,� he stated. When the Free Press newspaper interviewed the FDB Boss, it was disclosed that the Minister of Health approved the transactions, which raised questions as to whether it was Dr Sipa Yankey, the former Health Minister, or the current Minister, Dr Kumbour, who approved all his actions. In view of these developments, Mr Sarfo noted, the group has maintained their position that Dr Opuni, apart from his abused office, has a conflict of interest since he was the sole beneficiary and the sole decision-maker when it came to the amount to be spent on the said property. Mr Amankwa Sarfo has also raised questions such as who negotiated the �alleged� $84,000 price and why the public procurement act and the Governing Board were ignored. Prior to this, Mr Sarfo said, a petition was sent to the Criminal and Human Rights Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the matter. They have also appealed to the FDB boss to come out with the Health Minister who approved his actions. Meanwhile, the group has asked for the immediate resignation of the FDB boss while investigations are carried out, and if the allegations are proven true, he should be put before a competent court of jurisdiction and charged with causing financial loss to the country.