In a shocking revelation, Ghanaian MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has uncovered a massive corruption scandal involving the procurement of President Akufo-Addo’s flagship 307 ambulances. This $108 million heist, executed through a web of different companies, highlights the depth of cronyism and corruption plaguing the highest levels of government.
Ablakwa’s diligent parliamentary oversight has exposed that the same cabal behind the infamous $34.9 million ambulance spare parts deal also secured single-source contracts valued at $54.3 million to procure the 307 ambulances. This group, closely associated with President Akufo-Addo’s daughters and their business partners, used opaque methods to inflate the procurement costs grossly.
The Auditor-General’s Performance Audit (attached) provides concrete evidence of this massive inflation. The audit reveals that while government officials claimed the 307 Mercedes Benz ambulances were procured for $54.3 million, the unit price was stated as $80,000. Simple arithmetic shows that the total cost should have been $24,560,000, not $54.3 million. This discrepancy indicates an over-inflation of $29,740,000, a figure that exceeds the actual cost of the ambulances themselves.
Adding a 10% insurance premium of $8,000 per ambulance still leaves an over-inflation of $27,284,000. Notably, the Auditor-General discovered that no insurance premiums were paid on the 307 ambulances. The $54.3 million spent could have procured 678 ambulances instead of 307, showcasing the severity of this financial misconduct.
Ablakwa’s scrutiny also revealed that the cabal used various companies to import the ambulances, avoiding the notorious Service Ghana Auto Group Limited. The companies involved include Elok Consult and Services Limited, BEFT Engineering Works Limited, Bluemix Company Limited, Prestige Era Company Limited, RDC Company Limited, Luxury World Auto Group Limited, and Quality Suppliers and Builders Company Limited. Most of these companies were formed between April and September 2017, the year Akufo-Addo assumed office, and have no track record in ambulance importation.
Key figures include Stephen Okoro, a business partner of Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, and Solomon Okereke, Okoro’s brother. Elok Consult was paid GHS32,203,322.14 for importing 40 ambulances. BEFT Engineering received GHS26,694,249.13, Bluemix was paid GHS15,910,697.68, Prestige Era got GHS32,203,452.19, RDC received GHS17,067,138.41, Luxury World was paid GHS32,202,026.99, and Quality Suppliers received GHS26,679,812.23 for their contributions.
The wide disparities in payments for the same ambulance specifications during the same period warrant a forensic audit. Together, this cabal has siphoned an initial $54.3 million, GHS115 million for maintenance between 2020 and 2023, $10 million in February 2023, and an imminent payment of $24.9 million, totaling approximately $108 million.
Ablakwa has vowed to update his petition before the Special Prosecutor, promising retrievals and sanctions. This scandal, larger than the ongoing Ato Forson/Jakpa case, underscores the urgent need to combat nepotistic state capture for the sake of Ghana’s future. The fight for justice continues, as Ablakwa declares, “For God and Country. Ghana First.”
