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The Minority in Parliament is threatening to sue two online portals Ghanaweb and starrfmonline.com if they fail to retract a story published, implicating them as having been involved in the controversial $89 million Kelni GVG deal.

In a statement signed by the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Haruna Iddrisu, the group distanced himself from reports linking them to either the "negotiation or transaction" leading to the Kelni GVG deal with the Ministry of Communications.

The MP for Tamale South also stressed none of his colleagues have been part of the deal following a report by Starrfmonline.com that a top opposition MP is behind the controversial deal.

"We would not accept any attempt to smear us by the publishers and therefore demand an immediate retraction and apology. We have also instructed our lawyers to take the necessary action if the publishers fail to do the needful," the statement partly read.

President of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe, recently called on the Minister of Communications Ursula Owusu Ekulful to step aside and allow investigations into the $89 million contract with Kelni GVG.

The Policy think-tank boss has been at the forefront campaigning against the deal, arguing the contract which was signed on December 27, 2017 is a duplication of jobs and a needless drain on the public purse and thus are calling on the ministry and government to cancel the contract.

Government has signed an $89 million contract with Kelni GVG to deal with revenue losses and simbox fraud involving telcos.

But to IMANI, the contract is fraudulent and must be cancelled. He argued that the company does not have the track record to undertake the job that has been given it adding that the amount involved is too huge.

However, in a sharp riposte, Communications Minister, Mrs. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful launched a scathing attack on the IMANI President.

Defending the contract, Mrs. Ekuful who accused the IMANI boss of being a hired assassin indicated that Mr. Cudjoe is expressing his opinion on the matter without enquiring to know the full details that are involved in the deal.

Mr. Iddrisu said: “I wish to state for the records that neither myself as the “Minority Leader nor any of my colleagues on the Minority” work with or for the Ministry of Communications nor the National Communications Authority. We have also not been part of any negotiation or transaction with Kelni GVG as being reported.”


Below is the full statement:

My attention has been drawn to a story making the rounds on Ghanaweb.com and attributed to Starrfmonlin.com with the headline “Top Opposition MP behind $89M Kelni GVG deal.

I wish to state for the records that neither myself as the “Minority Leader nor any of my colleagues on the Minority” work with or for the Ministry of Communications nor the National Communications Authority. We have also not been part of any negotiation or transaction with Kelni GVG as being reported.

The public should ignore the malicious story as palpable falsehood and a wicked diversionary attempt to damage our hard earned reputations. The government should take full responsibility for the actions on the contract.

We would not accept any attempt to smear us by the publishers and demand an immediate retraction and apology. We have also instructed our lawyers to take the necessary action if the publishers fail to do the needful.


Haruna Iddrisu, MP and Minority Leader