Akufo-Addo sacks PPA boss

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has terminated the appointment of Adjenim Boateng Adjei as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) with immediate effect.

The termination of Adjenim Boateng Adjei’s appointment comes after a report by the Commissioner of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to President Akufo-Addo discovered a conflict of interest against Mr Adjei.

The termination of Mr Adjei’s appointment was contained in a letter from the presidency dated Friday, October 30, 2020.

An investigative piece titled ‘Contracts for Sale’ by investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, revealed some contracts authorized by the Authority to a company alleged to be owned by the PPA boss.

This led to the suspension of Mr Adjei after the Office of the Special Prosecutor and CHRAJ were tasked to look into the matter.

The findings of the Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, concluded: “on the totality of the evidence, Mr. Adjenim Boateng Adjei had put himself in a position where his personal interests conflicted with the performance of his functions as CEO and Board Member of the PPA.”

“Having satisfied himself of the fact that the recommendation made by CHRAJ is properly motivated and well-founded, the President has expressed his appreciation and gratitude to Mr. Joseph Whittal and CHRAJ for the thorough and methodical manner in which the matter has been addressed,” portions of the statement signed by Communications Director at the President’s office, Eugene Arhin, read.

The termination of Adjenim Adjei’s appointment means he does not qualify to hold any public office for the next five years.

Manasseh’s documentary unravelled that Adjenim Boateng’s co-owned company sold government contracts it won through single-source and restrictive tendering to the highest bidder.