GIPS revokes membership of former PPA boss

The revocation, according to GIPS, is in line with the recommendations from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) coupled with the fact that Mr A.B Adjei failed to honour an invitation to appear before the Institute’s Ethics & Professional Standards Committee to respond to the allegations levelled against him.

Mr Adjei, thus, cannot use the title FGIPS or hold himself as a member of the professional body for the next 10 years.

GIPS, in a statement, said in line with Article 286 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and per the Public Office Holder (Declaration of Asset and Disqualification Act 1998 (Act 550), it congratulates CHRAJ for the thoroughness of the investigations and some of the associated recommendations.

The statement further noted that GIPS supports other state institutions mandated to investigate and prosecute public and private officials in Ghana’s procurement-related corruption activities.

“As the emerging and truly local representative body for Procurement Professionals in Ghana, GIPS will fully support the President to pass an Act to help regulate the conduct of all Procurement practitioners in the country. The draft practising and licensing bill is being finalised and we shall submit it to the relevant Institutions for their review and passage into an Act in due course,” the statement added.

The Institute maintained it is committed to working with all stakeholders and state agencies to chart a common path in the fight against procurement-related corruption in Ghana.

Meanwhile, the Accra High Court has thrown out an application by the former PPA boss, which sought to set aside the findings of CHRAJ against him.

Mr Adjei was investigated in respect to alleged corruption-related offences in the context of public procurement and abuse of office.

He was alleged to have diverted government contracts to a company established shortly after assuming office as CEO of PPA.

The company, Talent Discovery Limited (TDL), incorporated in June 2017, won a number of government contracts through restrictive tendering with monies accrued sitting in his personal bank account.

He was fired from office by President Akufo-Addo.

Apart from the CHRAJ probe, he is also being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.