GH¢49m scandal: National security agencies must also obey procurement laws – Bright Simons

Bright Simons, Honorary Vice President of IMANI-Africa, has a message for Ghana’s national security. He urges them to follow financial accountability principles. This is important despite their legal exemptions under current procurement laws.

On May 10, he spoke on Joy News’ Newsfile programme. He discussed the alleged embezzlement of GH¢49 million by Mr. Adu Boahene. Mr. Boahene was the former Executive Director of the National Signals Bureau.

Mr. Boahene claimed that these funds were used during the time out of government. This included spending on both the then-government and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). His admission has sparked public outcry and scrutiny over spending in national security.

Ghanaian law currently exempts national security from standard procurement processes. These exemptions aim to protect national interests but should not mean a lack of accountability, according to Mr. Simons.

He warned that unchecked financial discretion could harm public trust and lead to corruption. Additionally, he stated that any diversion of funds disrupting critical security functions must not be tolerated.