Ex-Defence Minister in ?5 b scandal

The former Minister of Defence Lt. Col (Rtd) E. K. T. Donkor, is involved in another ?5 billion scandal in connection with the purchase of unauthorized vehicles for the Ghana Armed Forces from the British Military.

This scandal comes at a time when action is yet to be taken on findings of a board of enquiry constituted by the Armed Forces to probe a ?1 billion scandal involving the purchase of tuna in the run-up to the December elections.

The latest board of enquiry into the second scandal has indicted the former minister for swerving the Ghana Armed Forces High Command to purchase about 30 Bedford vehicles and 15 Land Rovers.

The vehicles, whose ages ranged between 28 and 15 years, were impounded by the Customs, Exise and Preventive Service (CEPS) upon arrival at the Tema port because they were too old. For some vehicles the manufactured date could not even be traced.

Chronicle investigations indicate that some of the vehicles could not even be driven from the Tema port but had to be towed.

Apart from the vehicles being over-aged, it has emerged that they did not fall within the specifications of vehicles used by the Ghana Armed Forces.

Chronicle Intelligence gathered that the arrival of the vehicles in the country was carefully planned to coincide with last year's elections. The vehicles, according to insiders, were going to be used by NDC loyalists in the military to intimidate people and that the vehicles even though bearing Armed Forces colours, were going to be used without number plates.

Even though the Ghana Armed Forces has not responded to a questionnaire Chronicle sent to them since March this year, the paper gathered that the minister was determined to meet the December deadline and therefore, shipped the vehicles at an extra cost.

But luck eluded the minister since the shipping agent could not meet the December deadline.

According to insiders, the board probing the minister over the transaction found out that even though the Land Rovers were packed inside the Bedford trucks and so did not occupy separate spaces, the ex-Defence minister charged the Armed Forces for 15 spaces which he claimed were occupied by the Land Rovers.

By Armed Forces regulations, the former minister has no powers to decide by himself to import vehicles for the Ghana Armed Forces because it does not fall under his jurisdiction.

Chronicle sources within the Armed Forces noted that the decision to purchase vehicles for the Armed Forces should have begun from the Supply and Transport (S&T) Department after which it should have been evaluated by the Armed Forces Procurement Department and finally scrutinized by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

Chronicle gathered that even the Chief of Defence Staff cannot get up on his own and order vehicles for the Ghana Armed Forces without consulting the Supply and Transport Department or the Procurement Department.

"E. K. T. Donkor was not just an ordinary minister, he is a former military officer. He knows that he is not supposed to do what he did but he has done it on several occasions and the time has come for him to face the consequences," a source said.

The transaction was handled solely by the Defence Minister, Military sources said they suspected that after the over-aged vehicles were purchased by the minister he routed them through the Europe for servicing.

After several months of waiting in vain for a response from the Ghana Armed Forces, Chronicle made a protest call on the new Defence Minister, Kwame Addo Kufour on two occasions and he confirmed that the board had finished its enquiries and submitted a report to his ministry.

But Kwame Addo Kufour declined to either disclose to Chronicle the details of the report or comment on the issue because according to him he had forwarded the reports to the Attorney-General for "advice."

"It is too early to comment on this report because it is very sensitive. It borders on the man's reputation so I have submitted the report to the A-G," he told the Chronicle last month.

Chronicle intelligence agents have however intercepted and lead correspondence between the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Justice.

One of such corresponding is a letter from the Defence Ministry to the Ministry of Justice about the scandal. The letter stated that the former Defence Minister did not follow the Armed Forces Procurement processes.

Another letter is a response from the Justice Ministry acknowledging receipt of the report and promising prompt action. The letter was dated June 7, 2001 and written by the Deputy Attorney General Gloria Akuffo.

When Chronicle contacted the Attorney General Nana Akuffo Addo, last week, he confirmed receipt of the report but also declined comments, saying he had assigned one of his officers. He was supposed to brief me today," the A-G said.

All indications point to the fact that the former Defence Minister Ltd. Col. (RTD) E. K. T. Donkor would soon be hauled to the Fast Track Court, to join his fellow former ministers facing trial for causing financial loss to the state.

It would be recalled that in the run-up to the elections, the former Defence Minister authrized the purchase of ?1 billion worth of Tuna and forced the Director for Supply and Transport, Col. Yankson, to take delivery of it.

The Armed Forces set up a probe into the circumstances that led to the purchase of the tuna, and refused to take delivery of it. The findings of the Tuna probe has also been made available to the A-G.