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Some aggrieved workers of The Savanna Accelerated Development Authority, (SADA) are demanding the cancelation of a contract between the Authority and management of 3 Steps Dare companies, a data development company which they claim does not pass a value for money test.

The workers are planning to organize what they term silent demonstration against the Chief Executive if he does not terminate the contract which according to them is making the authority lose millions of Cedis. “Silent demonstration means that we will disrespect the normal procedures and the laid down rules during official duties to protest against the mismanagement and corruption within SADA”, they stated in an interview.

 The workers have described the contract with 3 Steps Dare Company as illegal since it did not go through any bidding and tender process. These workers say they observe on daily basis how SADA funds are released to this privately owned company to undertake private activities which do not benefit the poor people in the savanna zone.

According to sources and documents available to the New Crusading Guide, though Yaw Asante Anim is the owner and CEO of 3 STEPS Dare, he does not have a penny as investment in the company which is working for SADA.

Documents available to the New Crusading Guide reveals that despite 3 steps being a registered company wholly owned by Yaw Asante Anim, all the staff members are paid by SADA every month. Available documents also reveal that a sum of GHC48, 000 of the total five years rent of GHC120, 000 at GHC2, 000 monthly charges for the office was paid for by SADA.

Besides that, Yaw Asante Anim is being paid a whopping sum of GHC8, 000, 00 a month by SADA as part of the project. Apart from that, Yaw Asante Anim has about eight staff in his 3 Steps Dare company who are paid close to GHC16,000 cedis a month from the monthly allocation of GHC20,000,00 that SADA provides for 3steps Dare company for their operations. This amount is paid alongside the monthly rent of GHC2, 000 for the payment of his office apartment and GHC400.00 a month for his residential accommodation.

The Chief Executive officer of 3Steps Dare company’s house was rented with funds from SADA. The Laptops, printers, photocopier and other related equipment’s used by 3steps were all paid for by SADA.

According to sources, 3 steps does not have anything in its office or at its chief executive’s house that was purchased by its CEO who doubles as owner. Everything in there was paid by SADA.

Our sources believe that the so called big men at SADA are trying to justify the GHC328,488.54 which have been advanced to 3 Steps Dare company as consultancy fee when 3 steps company does not have any experience in consultancy of any kind and has not undertaken any job of that sort before.

The consultancy deal between SADA and 3 steps, our sources say will pave way for SADA to pay a huge sum of about GHC3, 400,000( three million four hundred thousand Ghana cedis) just for the registration of 54,000 farmers in some selected districts in the SADA zone. Three steps dare company can then acquire all the equipment and other materials for the so called registration of 54,000 farmers from the money.

“SADA provides everything including internet and communication, ECG and water bills , printing and stationary , travel and transport Allowance and salary for security at 3steps office expenses , office repairs and maintenance, water dispenser , finger scanner device office phone renewal of business certificate, cleaning and sanitation director’s expense, fuel for motorbikes,, beds , kitchen cabinet and wardrobe. All this cost a sum of GHC20, 424.00 a month; and is paid by SADA to 3STEPS dare company as operational expense.

It is interesting to realize that the salary rate for the eight staff of 3 Steps Dare company, including the chief executive Yaw Asante Anim shot up from GHC11,386.00 in January 2016 to GHC30,136.000 in February this year, a 100 percent increase.

The CEO of 3 Steps takes GHC8,000.00 his accountant ,GHC 4,433.28 HR manager, GHC 4,433.28 The three quality assurance officers receive GHC3,144.77 each a month and the office assistant takes GHC689.60 and all these expenses are paid by SADA” .

Reacting to these statements in an interview with The New Crusading GUIDE recently  on the issue , the Chief Executive officer of SADA, Mr. Charles Abugri denied any wrongdoing, saying that there is no contract between SADA and 3 Steps company limited. “This is a research project that they are undertaking for SADA. It is not a contract. The end product of the research will belong to SADA not 3Steps and it will be value for our money. You must know that information is key and based on that information gathering is very expensive.”

He added “we jointly build capacity of teams to consolidate ideas and implement them”.

According to him the monthly payment of GHC20, 000 cedis a month for the operational expenses of 3Steps Dare company by SDA is ok and normal. “I am aware about that. You see the building rented by 3 Steps is located at a prestige environment in Tamale. The office is located in the heart of Tamale which makes it that expensive. The location is good because of the proximity to the central business district and the features it comes with.”

On the rent payment for the chief executive of 3Steps Company, Mr. Yaw Asante Anim, Mr. Abugri said, that deal was secured under a memorandum of understanding between SADA and 3Steps, adding, “we translate every investment into equity (returns) and for us we see it as a project worth investing in.”

When asked if staff of SADA enjoy the same benefits as the CEO 3 steps, Mr. Abugri said “SADA officials have different conditions of service from what has been offered to Yaw Asante Anim. All the employees of SADA were given their service conditions when they came for interview and they accepted what they were offered, so you can’t compare it to what 3steps is enjoying. These are two different things. This particular project he explained was a time bound investment, “if by July we realize that we are not making any headway, we can end it. However everything done here is good. You see data generation is critical.” He added

On the issue of turning the activities of 3 steps into a consultancy service, he said, “3steps is a partner not a consultancy firm, we own everything they have apart from the name 3 steps Dare company. Besides, we are working with other companies and institutions in this same way like the university of Development studies among others. We have engaged other companies in solar system development within the SADA zone.”

Asked why SADA is paying the salary of staff of 3 Steps Company limited, he said it is the cheapest means of getting firms to help in this area of work. “We did our checks and we realized that there are companies offering some of these projects but their fees and charges are very huge. “So we decided to partner with 3 steps and for us we will recover all our investments based on our share of equity. When we realize it will not work we will suspend it.”

According to him the data collection and electronic payment system is a laudable project by three steps and should not be politicized.

According to him, Yaw Asante is not a politician but a big business man with enormous knowledge and ideas. He said although he may not have money he t has ideas.

Asked if he followed all rules and regulations enshrined in the Public Procurement Act when handing this particular project to 3steps Dare Company Limited, he said “This is not a contract we gave to 3steps which warrants bidding and tendering for companies to be selected. This is a partnership drive that we are undertaking with them and it does not require any bidding and tender process. SADA has signed a memorandum of understanding with 3 steps to execute the project. So I think it followed due process.”