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The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has made fresh allegations regarding the procurement of ambulances under the Akufo-Addo administration.

Okudzeto Ablakwa links $20m inflated ambulance deal to Akufo-Addo's in-law | Pulse Ghana

Evans Annang

He claims that eight companies, six of which were established shortly after President Akufo-Addo took office in 2017, were awarded contracts despite lacking expertise in ambulance importation.

Ablakwa specifically highlighted Elok Consult and Services Limited, allegedly linked to the President's son-in-law, Stephen Okoro.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HOW THE SAME AKUFO-ADDO’S AMBULANCE SPARE PARTS CABAL USED DIFFERENT COMPANIES TO PROCURE THE 307 WILDLY INFLATED AMBULANCES IN A US$108MILLION HEIST Unimpeachable, irrefutable and irreproachable parliamentary oversight has finally smoked out the hidden characters behind the… <a href="https://t.co/TuRcqO0PXY">pic.twitter.com/TuRcqO0PXY</a>&mdash; Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) <a href="https://twitter.com/S_OkudzetoAblak/status/1818139239776653789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Ablakwa contends that the US$54.3 million spent should have procured 678 ambulances instead of 307, suggesting a severe overpricing issue. He stated, “The companies used by the presidential familial gang are: Elok Consult and Services Limited; BEFT Engineering Works Limited; Bluemix Company Limited; Prestige Era Company Limited; RDC Company Limited; Luxury World Auto Group Limited; and Quality Suppliers and Builders Company Limited.

“Instructively, a majority, 6 out of the 8 companies, were formed between April and September 2017 — the year Akufo-Addo became President of Ghana. All 8 companies have no track record and expertise in the importation of ambulances.

“Elok Consult and Services Limited was incorporated on 25th July, 2017. The directors are Stephen Okoro, the man who gave President Akufo-Addo his first granddaughter, and another gentleman who used the name Solomon Okereke for the company registration. Remember, the politically exposed Stephen Okoro is also a business partner of Gyankroma Akufo-Addo. They have incorporated numerous companies together, as I revealed in Part 2,” parts of his post read.

<h3>Okudzeto Ablakwa also questioned the figure disclosed by then Minister for Special Development Initiatives, Mavis Hawa Koomson, stating that the amount Ghana splurged is not a true reflection of what he considers to be the actual value of the ambulances.</h3>

In a detailed and mathematical breakdown of the figures, Okudzeto Ablakwa arrived at the conclusion that the <a data-link-role-code="open_new_tab" href="https://www.pulse.com.gh/news/local/ministry-of-health-denies-dollar349m-to-service-ghana-auto-group-for-car-parts/ewbxd9y">US$54.3 million paid by Ghana </a>should have at least fetched the country 678 ambulances.

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">impressive GHS32,203,322.14 on 27th December, 2019 for importing 40 ambulances. BEFT Engineering Works Limited was incorporated on 20th April, 2017. The directors of BEFT Engineering are Frank Agyekum and Alvin Mensah. Alvin Mensah is a longtime associate of Edwina… <a href="https://t.co/QyUKARitVA">pic.twitter.com/QyUKARitVA</a>&mdash; Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) <a href="https://twitter.com/S_OkudzetoAblak/status/1818139257388564965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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“From page 2 (paragraph 4) of the Auditor-General’s Performance Audit, government officials told auditors that the 307 Mercedes Benz ambulances were procured at a total amount of US$54.3 million. (Performance Audit attached). This figure of US$54.3 million is consistent with what then Special Development Initiatives Minister, Hawa Koomson, repeated to the Ghanaian media.

"Meanwhile, page 24 (paragraph 46) of the same Performance Audit states that a unit price of the ambulance is US$80,000.00. (Performance Audit attached). At US$80,000.00 for one ambulance, the 307 ambulances should give us a total of US$24,560,000.00 and not US$54.3 million.

"This really means that the procurement of the ambulances was unconscionably inflated by a scary US$29,740,000.00. The wickedly padded figure of US$29.7 million is more than the actual cost of all the 307 ambulances.

"Even if you add a 10% insurance premium of US$8,000.00 per ambulance, the procurement of the 307 ambulances would still be inflated by a massive US$27,284,000.00. Note, however, the Auditor-General discovered that insurance premiums were not paid on the 307 ambulances.

"It makes sense to conclude that the US$54.3 million taxpayer funds spent by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government should have provided Ghanaians with 678 ambulances and not 307. This is most criminal!”

Okudzeto Ablakwa had earlier disclosed that the government gave a $34 million deal for the servicing of 307 ambulances to President Akufo-Addo's in-law and $10 million, equivalent to GH¢120,711,000 has already been released.

Okudzeto Ablakwa links $20m inflated ambulance deal to Akufo-Addo's in-law

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