A Former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA) who has been mentioned in the squandered $4 million belonging to the authority has denied that he received part of the money.
In a statement issued by Mr Tevie, he described the allegations as untrue and baseless.
“I have never, at any time, whether privately, before the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or any state investigating agency, admitted that I, William Tevie, Former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), accepted any money or monies, and which I have agreed to refund.”
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He said he was invited and questioned by the BNI over some financial malpractices but he categorically denied knowledge of such an incident.
“If the alleged monies were given or received by anybody or group of persons, I am not aware and I was definitely not a party to it.”
“I hesitate to irresponsibly go into specifics because the transaction in question was handled by the National Security Council Secretariat because of its very sensitive nature,” he added.
The BNI is investigating some former officials on the NCA Board who withdrew some $4 Million from the NCA’s account purportedly for the purchase of a listening device.
These people include the Chairman of NCA, Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie; the Chief Executive Officer, William Tevie; a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Osman, a former member Dr Nana Owusu-Ensaw, and a private businessman, George Oppong of Infraloks Development Limited.
The NCA paid $4 million for a listening device which was requested for by the National Security. Only $1 million got to the Israeli company with the rest shared among some board members.
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The $3 million left in the account was then split into two, with less than half going into the pockets of board members and the chairman allegedly taking the lion’s share of $200,000.
Reports say William Mathew Tevie, who was the Director General, had $150,000; the local agent, George Oppong got $1,000,000; Alhaji Salifu Osman, a Deputy National Security Coordinator who represented the outfit on the NCA Board, was allegedly given $70,000 and Dr Nana Owusu-Ensaw, another board member, allegedly took home $500,000 to be shared with other unnamed persons.
The local representative of the Israeli company, a certain Penny, was also paid $100,000.
The cover of the transaction was blown by the Israeli company which was persistent in demanding the payment of the service rendered, having shipped the phone tapping equipment to Ghana and cleared them from the port.
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Mr Tevie is not the only accused person who has denied thus allegation. A former board member, Dr Nana Owusu-Ensaw has also indicated that he did not take part in this act as being carried by the media and some government officials.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid has indicated that government will ensure the truth comes to light and also deal with all those found guilty.
Below is the full text of the rejoinder
Rejoinder: NCA Boss To Refund $1.5m Cash
The banner headline of your May 16, 2017 publication, ‘NCA boss to refund $1.5m cash’ is not only false but diabolically concocted to mislead the reading public and tarnish my reputation.
I have never, at any time, whether privately, before the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or any state investigating agency, admitted that I, William Tevie, Former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), accepted any money or monies, and which I have agreed to refund. I was invited by the BNI and questioned about an allegation that some former Board Members of the NCA and I were given an amount of money to share.
I categorically denied the allegation. If the alleged monies were given or received by anybody or group of persons, I am not aware and I was definitely not a party to it. I hesitate to irresponsibly go into specifics because the transaction in question was handled by the National Security Council Secretariat because of its very sensitive nature.
Your reportage on the issue was not only mischievous but also smacked of ill motive. I am therefore demanding an immediate retraction and an unqualified apology to me failing which I will advise myself accordingly.
William Tevie
Former Director General
National Communications Authority