Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has categorically distanced his administration from a contentious payment of GHS6.7 million made to Smart Infraco Limited in December 2023, characterizing the transaction as one he would not oversee.
The payment, amounting to GHS6,755,174.94, was executed by the Ministry for a connectivity platform. However, auditors have expressed concerns regarding the transaction, pointing out the lack of supporting documents, evidence of services provided, certificates of work completed, or any justification for the expenditure.
During his appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Accra on Monday, November 3, Sam George clarified that the payment was made by his predecessor and not during his administration.
He stressed that his ministry has implemented measures to ensure accountability and transparency in addressing the issue.
“To clarify the records, this did not occur under my watch but at the Ministry by my predecessor in 2023,” he stated.
“We will not oversee such actions, but we have followed up, and NITA, the implementing agency for this project, has been instructed to provide all necessary documentation. They have submitted the project closure report to us, which has been forwarded to the Audit Service for verification.”
George further mentioned that the Ministry is awaiting confirmation from the Audit Service. “If they validate the amount, that will conclude the matter. However, if they raise questions, we will need to investigate further,” he said.
Davis Ansah Opoku, Member of Parliament for Mpraeso, disclosed that Smart Infraco has denied receiving the payment as indicated in the Auditor-General’s report.
He stated that the company contended that the report may have misclassified the transaction, asserting that it was associated with a different project and not part of the e-government commercialization contract.
In response to this development, Minister George reiterated his dedication to public accountability. “My loyalty is to the state, not to any company,” he said.
The foundation of my decision-making is based on the Auditor-General’s report, rather than the statements or responses of any company. Should any private company have issues with the report, they have the option to pursue legal recourse.
