The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Stephen Amoah, has accused the erstwhile government of the National Democratic Government of stealing and looting the state with impunity.
He says the government of the New Patriotic Party, unlike the NDC is committed to protecting state resources and improve the impoverished economy the NDC government left behind whiles providing better living conditions for Ghanaians.
He was reacting to some allegations about his outfit procuring cars valued at GH¢28.8million through sole sourcing in an interview on Okay fm's "Ade Akye Abia" Programme.
Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey claims MASLOC refused to follow due process in awarding a contract under which it (MASLOC) purchased 1,800 second-hand vehicles from Germany.
The Ashaiman MP further alleged that the CEO of MASLOC gave Dextro-Impex Company Limited a letter of comfort to allow the private company to raise funds to execute the contract.
According to him, the contract awarded to a private firm, Dextro-Impex Company Limited by MASLOC did not go through competitive bidding.
The Ashaiman MP said the CEO must answer why he supported a company which did not have the financial muscle to undertake such a contract which was worth so much money.
“It is total grounds for corruption. I don’t need Martin Amidu [Special Prosecutor] to tell me this is grounds for corruption and this is what we are fighting about," he fumed.
But in a sharp riposte, the MASLOC CEO explained that the alleged contract never materialized and accused the NDC of rather looting state coffers without recourse to sound judgement. According to him, the said contract was abrogated some where last year and thus could not fathom why the NDC would want to resurrect a dead issue.
He strongly held the view that the NDC has a certain agenda to make the current administration not succeed because "this government has refused to loot state coffers like they (NDC) did whilst in power and i am telling them that, that propagandist idea will not wash".
"They should think about how they can help the NPP government implement the good policies they have introduced and not cripple or tarnish the image of this country with their vile propaganda and corrupt practices. Their corrupt practices and wanton dissipation of the state coffers almost brought the economy to its knees but they should be thankful to the current administration for what we doing to bring life back into the economy," he stated.
Scores Of NDC & NPP MPs Indebted To MASLOC
The MASLOC CEO revealed that his outfit was bequeathed with limited resources when he assumed office, because the NDC had turned into an avenue for stealing from the national coffers.
MASLOC was established in 2006 by the then government to provide funds for micro and small-scale entrepreneurs to strengthen their operations as an effective and viable strategy for poverty reduction.
But Stephen Amoah asserts the level of indebtedness had rendered MASLOC financially incapacitated to effectively execute its mandate.
He disclosed that scores of Members of Parliament (MPs) from both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were indebted to MASLOC and his office had petitioned the Clerk of Parliament on the issue.
"The NDC government still thinks they thrive on propaganda, what they are refusing to understand is that this government is working to protect the public purse. With all the limited resources at our disposal, we are still working to retrieve monies from people who are indebted to us including some parliamentarians (both NDC and NPP) who took monies from MASLOC for their own private businesses and are yet to pay back the loans they took.
I will soon petition the Speaker to enable us publish names of those owing us since they have refused to honour their side of the bargain. I have alreday written to the Clerk of Parliament on the issue, i have sent them reminders but they are still reneging on their commitment to repay the loans," he stated.
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