The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has summoned Bright Oduro Kwarteng and Theophilus Okine over claims totaling GH₵8.2 million linked to the construction of household toilet facilities under the former Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources’ “Toilet for All” initiative.
The action follows concerns raised by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, which indicated that attempts to validate the payments have stalled after officials said all relevant documents had been forwarded to the National Archives.
Appearing before the committee, the sector minister, Ahmed Ibrahim, revealed that although mobilisation funds were released, no physical work was carried out on the ground.
“The good news is that the officers who handled this transaction are still at post in other ministries. The Director for Procurement was one Mr. Theophilus Okine, who is at the Ministry of Defence. The other is one Bright Oduro Kwarteng, who is now Director of Finance at the Ministry of Trade and Agribusiness.
“We have the names of the contractors here and the various contracts. They were given mobilization, but they did not go to the site,” he said.
He further disclosed that steps had already been initiated under the previous administration to terminate the contract and reassign it for execution.
Ranking Member of the committee, Samuel Atta-Mills, criticised the development and ordered that the officials be compelled to appear before the committee with all relevant documentation.
“Wherever the documents are, they would have to come with them. You pay somebody mobilisation to go and work, the person doesn’t do it, takes the money, then you come back to abrogate this contract, repackage it and give it to somebody,” he said.
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