There seems a grand collusion between some Staffs working with the Ghana School Feeding Programe (GSFP) and some New Patriotic Party aficionados under the guise of ‘School feeding Caterers’ to steal, and siphon the scanty resources of government and deliberately depriving school going children the right to free meals.
The dietary agency has been entangled in politically motivated widespread racketeering conspiracy that included non-existing schools receiving pay without cooking, over payment to caterers, bloated enrollment, wrong payment to caterers and differences between Caterer’s name and Ez-switch cards, this Newspaper can report.
Some of the persons indicted in this organized fraud are Central Regional Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, Richard Takyi Mensah, David Essandoh, former Public Relations Officer to Minister Morrison and Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor, MCE for Yilo Krobo Municipality.
The fraud busted by this Newspaper Investigative team indicated that Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor, the MCE of Yilo Krobo was paid a total amount of GHS65,184 through his personal Ez-switch account number 1014773708 for purportedly cooking for some 320 pupils of Pleyo M/A Primary School.
Regional Secretary of NPP Richard Takyi Mensah on other hand, have received GHS99,120 for allegedly cooking for 472 pupils of Ekurabadze Tayido M/A Basic School through Ez-switch number 1677900-4.
David Essandoh, the former spokesperson to Cynthia Mamle Morrison, and now staff of Ghana School Feeding Programe was paid a total of GHS183,435 for cooking for Swedru Methodist A, B and Swedru Holy Quran A all in the Agona West District.
Whereas it’s not wrong for David Essandoh to work like any Ghanaian with the requisite knowledge, it’s against best practices globally for a staffer of an organization to compete for contract in same organization without putting his or her interest on notice.
On the contrary, Christiana D. Quist, Charlotte Antwi have both used different Ez-switch accounts to launder the funds from the GSFP.
Per records available to us, the Ekurabadze Tayido M/A Basic School cooking contract was originally awarded to Richard Takyi Mensah, the NPP Secretary for Central Region. However, we find Christiana D. Quist as the Caterer using Ez-switch number 167790029-4 owned by Cynthia Johnson. Correspondingly, Charlotte Antwi is using the Ez-switch account number 117583581-5 belonging to one Bright Oppong to collect her pay.
The scheme has since paid a whooping GHS316,890 to Cynthia Johnson and Bright Oppong instead of Christiana D. Quist and Charlotte Antwi covering cooking services allegedly provided for two schools.
In all, a total of GHS379,470 was paid to three Caterers for supposedly cooking for three schools in three separate Districts in Central Region. The Districts were identified as Mfantseman, Assin Central and Agona West.
In the Eastern Region, a sum total of GHS259,770 was also paid to Foisel Kwabena Agyapong with Ez-switch number 369154651-9, and Ismael Acheampong with card number 151105370-1. Foisel got GHS149,470 out of the total of GHS259,770 representing the cost of food cooked for 710 pupils for seventy days for three terms. The remainder, GHS 110,670 went to Ismael.
GHS 227,640 was recorded against Ashante Region being payment for no work done. The beneficiaries are Aseidu Broawn with card number 10155489-1 and Mabel Kumi with account number 101644041-6.
Edward Kwaku Kumah and Nayan Nakiwu Elisha have taken receipt of GHS52,500 and GHS45,150 respectively in the newly created Oti Region for no drop of sweat.
However, the findings of this paper revealed that Government of Ghana have unconsciously credited an amount of GHS964,530 to nine non-existent persons for cooking they are yet to find their utensils.
Meanwhile, according to documents exclusively obtained by this Newspaper, twenty-two schools have been discovered as nonexistent and receiving payment, while ten schools are working profusely to be registered.
The twenty-two (22) schools that receives payment without cooking are; 1. Yilo State M/A Basic, 2. Adjikpo Dokuyo, M/A Basic, 3. Salvation Army, 4. Onumaku, 5. Korboe-Okumka, and 6. Asiafo Amanfro Community School. The rest of the schools included but limited to 7. Wawase M/A Primary, 8. Nkurakan R/C, 9. Oterkpolu R/C, 10. Huhunya Presby, 11. Bukunor Junction, 12. Sikabeng M/A Primary, 13. Ogome Anglican, 14. Kpanorkle M/A Primary, 15. Pleyo M/A, 16. Poponya, 17. Klo-Akwapem R/C Basic, 18. Abrewankor M/A, 19. Opersika, 20. Awuzamlem, 21. Nkurakan Presby, and 22. Brukum M/A.
Sadly, while the fraudsters are scooping money through dubious schemes, the genuine Caterers are been denied payments.
When Officials of GSFP was contacted, they said the issues were under investigation. All efforts sought by The Hawk to get their comment proved abortive.
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