Three citizens petition SP to investigate dismissed NYA Boss, Deputies

Three citizens of the Republic of Ghana have petitioned the Office of Special Prosecutor to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against the dismissed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri.

The petitioners, Amos Blessing Amorse, Efo Worlanyo Tsekpo and Eric Adjei in their petition addressed to the SP Martin Amidu averred that "From the accounts, it cannot be gainsaid that Messrs. Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri, Richard Ebbah Obeng and Bright Acheampong were sacked from office due to the alleged corrupt procurement practices amounting to alleged breaches of Act 663.

From the foregoing, we verily believe that there are enough basis to invoke the powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor under Sections 2(a) & 3(1) (a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) to investigate Messrs.

Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri, Richard Ebbah Obeng and Bright Acheampong for alleged or suspected corruption and corruption related offences under Act 663.

For the avoidance of doubt, Section 3(1)(a) of Act 959 states that: “to achieve the object, the Office shall investigate and prosecute cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences under the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663)”.

In a about an eleven point petition, the three further posited that In the three letters signed by the Sports Minister, announcing the termination the appointments of the trio, no reason(s) was given to explain what the trio did to warrant their dismissal from office.

However, sequence of media reports and accounts from senior officials of the present government gave indications that the former CEO of NYA and his two deputies were sacked as a result of award of alleged dubious contracts amounting to GHC1.8 million; resulting in alleged breaches of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).’’

Below is the full petition

05/09/2019 Dear Sir,

PETITION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AGAINST MESSRS. EMMANUEL SIN-NYET ASIGRI, RICHARD EBBAH OBENG AND BRIGHT ACHEAMPONG (ALL FORMER HEADS OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH AUTHORITY) OVER ALLEGED BREACHES OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT ACT, 2003 (ACT 663) 1. The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, September 3, 2019, through the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon Isaac Asiamah, terminated the appointments of the acting Chief Executive Officer of National Youth Authority, Mr Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri and his two acting deputies, Mr Richard Ebbah Obeng and Mr Bright Acheampong (see exhibits EAI1, EAI2 & EAI3).

2. In the three letters signed by the Sports Minister, announcing the termination the appointments of the trio, no reason(s) was given to explain what the trio did to warrant their dismissal from office. However, sequence of media reports and accounts from senior officials of the present government gave indications that the former CEO of NYA and his two deputies were sacked as a result of award of alleged dubious contracts amounting to GHC1.8 million; resulting in alleged breaches of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).

3. On August 31, 2019, thestatesmanonline.com, a pro-government online portal, reported that “…the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has directed the chief executive officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Emmanuel Sin-nyet Asigri, to resign. This follows a petition brought to the attention of Chief of Staff regarding a questionable procurement procedure which the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) has been called in to investigate” (see Exhibit EAI4.)

4. After the announcement of the dismissal of the trio, one of the dismissed deputy CEOs, Mr Richard Ebbah Obeng, obviously incensed by the decision, highlighted what majority considered as what led to their sack on his facebook wall (see Exhibit EA5). He stated, inter alia, that “as the Schedule Officer responsible for approving payment vouchers, I REFUSED to ever approve any payments intended to that company (Prefos). I did not approve the over one million and eight hundred thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC 1.8 million). I actually stopped the payment voucher covering that transaction and locked it up. It is still in my possession. As to why and how that Cheque was written in spite of the Payment Voucher blockade, I leave it to the team of investigators and possibly prosecutors.”

5. On September 4, 2019 on Accra based Citi TV’s Breakfast Daily show, a Deputy Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Fati Abubakar, clarified government’s decision to sack the trio (see Exhibit EAI6). She was quoted to have said, inter alia, that “…with specific reference to this National Youth Authority issue, it was ESTABLISHED THAT THERE WAS A PROCUREMENT BREACH.”(Emphasis is ours).

6. There are, however, allegations that the dismissed heads of NYA awarded contracts and made questionable payments to companies, of which same have been confirmed by senior government officials, without recourse or approval of the governing Board of the NYA. One of such questionable procurements, thestatesmanonline.com reported (refer to Exhibit EAI4), was confirmed by the Chairperson of the NYA Board, Hon Francisca Oteng.

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7. From the accounts, it cannot be gainsaid that Messrs. Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri, Richard Ebbah Obeng and Bright Acheampong were sacked from office due to the alleged corrupt procurement practices amounting to alleged breaches of Act 663.

8. From the foregoing, we verily believe that there are enough basis to invoke the powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor under Sections 2(a) & 3(1) (a) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) to investigate Messrs. Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri, Richard Ebbah Obeng and Bright Acheampong for alleged or suspected corruption and corruption related offences under Act 663. For the avoidance of doubt, Section 3(1)(a) of Act 959 states that: “to achieve the object, the Office shall investigate and prosecute cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences under the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663)”

9. We file this petition in our various capacities as citizens of the Republic of Ghana under Section 27 of Act 959.

10. For ease of reference, we have attached the various Exhibits and marked them accordingly.

11. We, and by extension Ghanaians, would be extremely delighted for expeditious investigation of this case.

12. Accept our best wishes and warm regards

PETITIONERS

1.Amos Blessing Amorse Citizen of the Republic of Ghana # 0244745784

2. Efo Worlanyo Tsekpo Citizen of the Republic of Ghana #0247046008

3. Eric Adjei Citizen of the Republic of Ghana #0244643758

MR MARTIN A.B.K. AMIDU SPECIAL PROSECUTOR OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, ACCRA