VRA accused of “skewing” Takoradi gas turbine construction bid

A Ghanaian has petitioned the Public Procurement Authority (PPP) against what he suspects, is an attempt by power producer, Volta River Authority (VRA), to muscle out other contractors bidding for the construction of the Takoradi gas turbine.

Grandfada Ayitomeka argues that the technical specifications outlined by the power producer essentially “skews” the bidding process in favour of one particular contractor against the others.

In his petition dated October 22, 2013, Ayitomeka said: “I am a concerned Ghanaian who is not too comfortable with the technical specification of the ongoing tender by the Volta River Authority for the construction of the Gas Turbine at Takoradi (T4)”.

Ayitomeka further points out in the petition, a copy of which is in the possession of XYZ News, that: “The technical specification has been skewed to favour one manufacturer”.

He said: “This process clearly frowns upon the procedures for competitive national tender”.

The petitioner warned that: “If this situation is not checked, the nation would be deprived of value for money as the technology has been already consigned to one manufacturer at the expense of the rest”.

Page 15 of the tender document spotted by XYZ News specified that: “The new plant will consist of one dual fuel GE 9E gas turbine”.

“This seems to suggest that it is a single-sourcing which should not have been the case”, Ayitomeka protested.

“I am therefore petitioning your good office to rein in the VRA to conduct this all important tender within the framework of the National Procurement Act”, he requested.

Ayitomeka told XYZ News that he, as a concerned Ghanaian, wants to halt the anomaly so that the nation does not get “shortchanged” in the entire process.