I did not take bribe to award Ghana card contract - Prof Attafuah

The acting Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA) Professor Ken Attafuah has denied claims of thievery and bribery in the Ghana Card contract.

Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Ken Agyapong is reported to have accused Prof. Attafuah of receiving lands and other favours to award the $1.2 billion contract to Identity Management Systems Ltd (IMS), a subsidiary of the Margins Group.

But Prof Attafuah says the legislator’s accusations was motivated by “ignorance, confusion and or needless malice” adding that anyone who makes what he describes as “utterly defamatory statements” to back them with strict proof.

He noted in a statement that “I have not received a gift of land, cash or any other object of valuable consideration from any person for any work I have done or will do in future. I have not stolen any money from anyone. I have, on the contrary, acted with utmost integrity and professionalism and served the best interests of Ghana with my best intellect and best industry in my capacity as Ag. Executive Secretary of the NIA”.

Prof Attafuah also stated that the total project cost for the delivery of the Ghana Card is $293m and not $1.2bn as Kennedy Agyapong claimed.

“The NIS project to deliver ID cards to all Ghanaians is over a period of one year. Within this period, the State is committed to spending $124m while the private partner, IMS, is committed to providing $169m. The total project cost for the delivery of the Ghana Card is therefore $293m and not 1.2bn USD. This total is expected to cover the technical and operational cost that will deliver ID Cards to all Ghanaians over the one-year period and establish the National Identity Register and the entire NIS,” he said.



Find the full statement below