Ablakwa Alleges Nepotism in $34.9M Ambulance Deal

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has alleged that Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, linked to President Akufo-Addo’s daughters Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Stephen Okoro, was awarded a US$34.9 million contract for ambulance spare parts.

The contract was reportedly awarded four months before the company was incorporated, raising concerns of nepotism and corruption. Ablakwa has challenged critics to provide evidence to the contrary and has called for the Office of the Special Prosecutor to intervene to prevent further payments to the company.

As Discovered by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Honourable Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

Akufo Addo’s daughter Gyankroma Akufo Addo is the owner of the company Service Ghana Auto Group limited that was dubiously paid 34.9m dollars to supply Ambulance spare parts. The President’s daughter, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Stephen Okoro are the only two directors of SFO Initiatives Limited. (Incorporation documents duly attached).

SFO Initiatives Limited was incorporated on August 9, 2013. The principal activities of the company are building and road construction, civil engineering works, food and crops farming. On the 12th of August, 2020, Stephen Okoro partnered with Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Edwina Akufo-Addo to incorporate Goodbox Limited. (Incorporation documents duly attached).

This time Stephen Okoro took up a company secretary role in Goodbox Limited, registered by the President’s daughters to run a gym. President Akufo-Addo’s appointee, Keli Gadzekpo, who was Board Chair of ECG was made a shareholder of Goodbox Limited. A few days after, specifically on August 20, 2020, the inseparable three musketeers incorporated Good Grow Limited. (Incorporation documents duly attached). Gyankroma Akufo-Addo and Edwina Akufo-Addo are the two directors whilst their ever loyal confidant, Stephen Okoro took up the position as company secretary.

Interestingly, Good Grow Limited has been established by the presidential daughters and their beloved business associate to grow and farm cannabis. They seem determined to take full financial advantage of Ghana’s new legal cannabis regime which their father spearheaded. From the foregoing, It is now obvious that Ken Ofori-Atta’s midnight approval of the US$34.9million ambulance spare parts deal and subsequent US$10million payment was motivated by familial interest.

Ken Ofori-Atta’s primary focus was about making his nieces and their special business partner happy. Insider dealing at its frightening best. The presidential family could not take chances, just in case a new Finance Minister takes over after the reshuffle and decides to sabotage a matter in which the family has a huge interest. The conundrum about why Stephen Okoro’s Service Ghana Auto Group Limited enjoyed such remarkable preferential treatment and a unique dispensation which allowed procurement laws and other laws to be disregarded with impunity now makes sense.

We can all now understand why not even the explosive adverse findings contained in the 2022 Auditor-General’s report could stop Service Ghana Auto Group Limited from securing another uncompetitive US$34.9million spare parts cash-out from the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. Meanwhile, Stephen Okoro, a beloved business partner of the Akufo-Addo daughters, appears to be enjoying a golden era of business as he has incorporated 6 other companies between 2017 and 2020. In opposition, President Akufo-Addo loudly promised Ghanaians that he will not run a family and friends government. Sadly, he never intended to keep that pledge. Nepotism, cronyism and corporatocracy are all considered grave forms of corruption.

As Pope Francis reminds us: “Corruption is paid by the poor.” Leaders ought not forget this fact. I can confirm, however, that I made all these oversight findings and irrefutable documents, particularly about the role of the President’s daughters and their business partner available to the Office of the Special Prosecutor in my petition of 22nd July, 2024. It is my hope that the OSP will be allowed the free hand to conduct his investigations. In the interim, let us do everything in our power to prevent the payment of the outstanding US$24.9million.