The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei has explained that the contract with Super Tech Limited (STL) was abrogated because it was initially awarded with no price break down before she took over as chairperson.
She explained the initial contract was signed against the 2016 budget of the Commission, which was unknown at the time and that the two Deputy Chairpersons signed two contracts with STL on 6 May 2015 for US$22.3m (BVR) and US$16.4m (BVD) respectively
Responding to a petition filed at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) by some “concerned staff” of the EC asking for investigations into her leadership, Mrs Osei said when she took over, the finance and procurement departments of the Commission had no knowledge of the execution of the said contracts with STL and that there were many breaches of law in connection with the contract,
She said when she initiated steps to rectify the contract award process after consulting a consultant, STL submitted a new proposal for the services at a quote of US$7.2m and therefore the contract was $7.2 million and not more than $21m as claimed by the petitioners who have also asked President Akufo-Addo to initiate steps to remove her as EC boss.
According to Mrs Osei, it was interesting that, STL has not complained about the abrogation of the contracts but persons, who schemed to cause loss to the state, flout procurement laws with impunity, have turned around to accuse another of acting illegally.
She said when the first contracts were signed, no one in the Commission was involved in the negotiations.
“Quite surprisingly, it is now alleged that their involvement would have resulted in better pricing for the Commission. Was the Chairperson to seek the input of the same deputies who had admitted lack of knowledge in procurement matters and who had earlier failed to follow procurement laws and hastily signed such major contracts?”
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