As part of his measures to curb corruption, the former President, John Dramani Mahama, has promised to set up an Independent Valuation Office (IVO) to scrutinise all sole-sourced contracts before they are approved.
The Office, which is going to be independent from government, according to Mahama, will ensure that Ghana gets value for money.
This, he said, will help curb the growing corruption in the system, most of which emanates from sole-sourced contracts.
John Mahama, together with members of the NDC, during an interaction with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) Monday, April 08, 2024, noted that the move will ensure taxpayers’ money are not wasted.
“One of the reasons why you’re suffering in terms of revenue and taxes is because of the expenditure side. If government is raising the money and wasting it through sole-sourced procurement and so on and so forth, it is tax payers’ money that is being wasted and so we must take an interest in that. And that is why I have suggested that we are going to have an Independent Valuation Office (IVO),” he promised.
He said “it is going to be independent from government, any sole sourcing contract must go for value for money audit to make sure that it has not been inflated and then aside from that we must make sure that we cut down on corruption, allow the anti-corruption institutions to work.”
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In fighting corruption, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress forewarned his would-be appointees not to indulge in corruption since he is not going to be a “clearing agent” to interfere with the works of anti-corruption agencies.
“People have taken advantage of the country, they must be dealt with. That’s why I have said when I come into office and I’m swearing in the Ministers, I will give them a caution and say ‘hey my friend, Ghanaians are looking up to you. Go and do your work well. If you go and EOCO or Special Prosecutor comes after you, me I’m not a clearing agent, I won’t interfere, I will let them do their work’,” he said at the meeting.
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