BY Grace Zigah
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has been petitioned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the award of a major construction contract for a proposed new headquarters of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), amid growing concerns over transparency, value for money and the use of public funds.
The petition centres on a contract awarded in 2020 to Devtraco Builders Limited for the construction of a 14-storey office complex intended to serve as the new GRA headquarters near the Kanda Post Office, adjacent to the Jubilee House in Accra.
GH¢73m Mobilisation Fee Under Scrutiny
According to the petitioners, the GRA paid GH¢73 million to Devtraco in 2020 as a mobilisation or advance payment, reportedly representing 15 per cent of the total contract sum.
The payment, the petitioner argues, was made at a time when the project had not yet taken off physically on site.
Subsequent developments, however, have raised serious questions.
Due to what has been described as security concerns around the project location, the original design of the building was later scaled down from 14 storeys to four storeys.
The petitioners are now demanding clarity on whether the mobilisation fee was adjusted to reflect the drastic reduction in the scope of work, and if not, what has become of the GH¢73 million already paid.
A senior minister in the current administration has been fingered in the deal leading to a possible swap of the office with a new contract to develop a new headquarters building for GRA.
Delayed Start Of Construction
Further concerns stem from the timeline of the project. Documents attached to the petition indicate that the transfer of funds to Devtraco in respect of the 15 per cent advance mobilisation was initiated on 2 December 2020.
Yet, construction work reportedly did not commence until February 2022, more than two years later. Attempts to seek clarification from the authorities including the then Commissioner for Support Services, Julie Essiam failed.
She was later elevated to Commissioner General position.
