We don’t know busted “drug baron” – Gov’t

The government of Ghana says it had nothing to do with the selection of Sohin Security to man the country’s Kotoka International Airport.

It also says the award of the contract was through tender and “not through secrecy”.

“…Mind you, the decision to award that contract was not determined by government. It was determined by Airport Management Company,” Deputy Information and Media Relations Minister Murtala Muhammed, told Journalists at the Flagstaff House on Monday.

The clarification follows allegations by the General Secretary of the main opposition New Patriotic Party, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie that the award was given to Sohin Security through cronyism.

Mr. Owusu Afriyie claimed despite the lack of any track record by Sohin in providing security for airports, it nonetheless, awarded the contract because its head, Solomon Adelarquaye was a major financier of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Solomon Adelarquaye was arrested last week in the United States in connection with drug trafficking.

The NPP’s general secretary wondered why a “drug baron”, was awarded a contract to provide security for the airport.

However, Murtala Muhammed said: “The contract that was awarded to that company was not done in secrecy; it was through the appropriate bidding or tender if you like. “And as a matter of fact, prior to that contract being awarded, I don’t think there was any information or evidence of the leader of that group who has now been arrested in the United States”.