The allegations made against some heads of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and government agencies, if proven, should bring an end to the arguments against the depoliticisation of such appointments and even privatisation of some of these state institutions, Legal practitioner, Professor Ernest Kofi Abotsi, has said.
His comments come at a time when the Auditor-General’s report accused the Electricity Company of Ghasna (ECG) of exceeding expenditure on thirteen budget line items without approval from the company’s board.
The report revealed that while the ECG budgeted GHC2.8 million, GHC4.2 million, GHC40 million, and GHC3.1 million for staff fuel, communication, consultancy, and stakeholders’ expenses respectively, the actual spending reached GHC3.6 million, GHC7.9 million, GHC58.6 million, and GHC49 million without board approval.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has accordingly directed that the staff of the ECG culpable for the over GHC180 million in unapproved budget overruns in 2023 face prosecution by the Attorney-General.
Also, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has filed multiple criminal charges against Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO), and four others, over alleged acts of stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state.
According to court documents filed at the High Court in Accra, the accused persons — Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, Faiza Seidu Wuni, Richard Sam-Asante (currently at large), The Aludiba Foundation, and Energy Partners Limited — are facing a total of 21 counts.
The offences include stealing, money laundering, defrauding by false pretences, conspiracy, and the intentional dissipation of public funds, all contrary to provisions of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044).
Per the charge sheet, Mr Aludiba, while serving as CEO of NAFCO between February 2017 and February 2025, is alleged to have diverted over GH¢50.8 million from the company’s funds, purportedly paid to a supplier, Sawtina Enterprise.
He is further accused of fraudulently transferring an additional GH¢5.49 million to Aludiba Enterprise, a business he personally owned, under the guise of supplying foodstuffs to the state company.
His co-accused, Faiza Seidu Wuni, is alleged to have laundered over GH¢13.2 million through her company, Fa-Hausa Ventures, and to have caused a financial loss of GH¢4.4 million through transactions with NAFCO under the business name Alqarni Enterprise.
In a post on his X page, Prof Kofi Abotsi said, “The explosive allegations made against certain heads of SoEs and agencies, if established, should definitely put to rest any arguments against the depoliticisation of their appointments and privatisation of some.
“The AG should be commended for spotlighting them for accountability, as these ‘sub-political’ actors have often hidden under the radar of public scrutiny! The fact that accountability has to happen only when the government changes is the real worry that should engage us all! Are sitting governments complicit in ransacking the state?”
