The Ghana Institute of Procurement and Supply (GIPS) has revoked the membership of the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Agyenim Boateng Adjei.
According to the GIPs, the decision follows his inability to honour series of invitations relating to allegations levelled against him.
The institute in a statement dated March 8, 2022, noted the revocation was also in line with recommendations by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).
“GIPS wishes to officially inform the general public that in line with the recommendations from CHRAJ, coupled with the fact that Mr A.B. Adjei failed to honour an invitation to appear before the Institute’s Ethics & Professional Standards Committee to respond to the allegations levelled against him, his GIPS membership has formally been withdrawn,” portions of the statement read.
The institute has, therefore, cautioned the embattled former CEO cannot use the title FGIPS or hold himself as a member of this Professional Body for the next 10 years.
Meanwhile, it has commended CHRAJ for its findings, relating to the procurement breaches and pledged commitment to support other State Institutions mandated to investigate and prosecute public and private officials in Ghana’s procurement-related corruption activities.
The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) in September 2019 petitioned CHRAJ to investigate if Mr Adjei and other board members of the PPA acted criminally in setting up a company, TDL which allegedly sold government contracts.
The anti-graft firm’s petition was on the back of an investigative documentary by Manasseh Azure Awuni Contracts for sale which exposed how Mr Adjei established a company to which contracts were diverted.
The company, Talent Discovery Limited (TDL), incorporated in June 2017, won a number of government contracts through restrictive tendering with monies accrued sitting in the personal bank account of the former PPA boss.
In CHRAJ’s findings, Mr Adjei was said to have put himself in a conflict of interest position, abused his office on two occasions and failed to declare his assets as required by Chapter 24 of the 1992 Constitution.
CHRAJ has since banned Mr Adjei from holding public office for the next 10 years.
He is also to refund GH¢5,697,530 within six months to the State and within three months declare his assets in accordance with the Public Office Holder (Declaration of Assets and Disqualification) Act, 1998 (Act 550).
Read GIPS’ full statement below: