A Former Board Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), Kwame Peprah has denied allegations that his board approved a $72 million software contract for the Trust.

In a statement signed by Peprah's aide, Justice Opoku Agyeman said he did not approve any contract close to the said amount.

“It is also instructive to understand that, Mr Kwame Preprah’s board did not approve the payment of the said amount or anything close to it.”

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The statement further quoted Peprah as saying “the board which I chaired did not approve any payment under my watch and I have no idea how the payment was effected.”

“Any attempt to push blame with regards to the $66 million dollars payment will be in bad fate,” the statement added.

The successor of Peprah said the contract was signed before he assumed office. Prof Joshua Alabi said his board during their tenure queried the contract but could not abrogate it.

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However, the statement asked why Prof Alabi and his team could abrogate the contract.

“Assuming without admitting that the said argument should be adhered to, doesn’t it raise serious issues bordering on integrity and competence? As a new board chairman, taking over from a previous board, what prevented you from going further after the query to stop the transaction if, in the wisdom of the board, of which you were the chairman, it was wrong or smacks fraud? ….For heaven sake, don’t we have an Attorney General’s office? Couldn’t we have referred the matter to that office for proper legal advice leading to the termination or otherwise of the transaction?”

The software, known as Operational Business Suite (OBS) according to SSNIT, was to network all branches of the Trust’s across the country to enable them to receive real time data directly to the headquarters in Accra and enhance efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) is currently investigating five officials of SSNIT for their alleged involvement in the acquisition of the OBS software.

Below are the members of the board chaired by Prof. Alabi:

Prof. Joshua Alabi (Government Nominee) –Chairman

Mr Kwaku D. Boateng (Government Nominee)–Member

Mrs Regina Atsutsey (Government Nominee)–Member

Hon. Kweku Ricketts-Hagan/Hon. Mona Helen K. Quartey (Rep./Ministry of Finance)–Member

Mr Terence Ronald Darko (Rep/Ghana Employers’ Asso.)–Member

Mr Alex Frimpong (Rep. Ghana Employers’ Association)–Member

Mr Kofi Asamoah (Rep. Organised Labour)–Member

Mr Kwame Amo-Dako (Rep. Organised Labour)–Member

Alhaji Naaba Mahamadu Asibi Azongo (Rep. Organised Labour)–Member

Mr Prince William Ankrah (Rep. Organised Labour)–Member

Col. James Adamu Koto Rtd. (Rep. Security Services)–Member

Mr Theodore Nee-Okpey (Rep. National Pensioners’ Association)–Member

Dr Frank Odoom/Mr Ernest Thompson (Director General of SSNIT)–Member

Mrs Gifty J. Annan (Company Secretary)–Secretary