Some aggrieved workers of The Savanna
Accelerated Development Authority, (SADA) are demanding the cancelation of a
contract between the Authority and management of 3 Steps Dare companies, a data
development company which they claim does not pass a value for money
test.The workers are planning to organize what they term silent
demonstration against the Chief Executive if he does not terminate the contract
which according to them is making the authority lose millions of Cedis. “Silent
demonstration means that we will disrespect the normal procedures and the laid
down rules during official duties to protest against the mismanagement and
corruption within SADA”, they stated in an interview.
The workers have
described the contract with 3 Steps Dare Company as illegal since it did not go
through any bidding and tender process. These workers say they observe on daily
basis how SADA funds are released to this privately owned company to undertake
private activities which do not benefit the poor people in the savanna
zone.
According to sources and documents available to the New Crusading
Guide, though Yaw Asante Anim is the owner and CEO of 3 STEPS Dare, he does not
have a penny as investment in the company which is working for
SADA.
Documents available to the New Crusading Guide reveals that despite
3 steps being a registered company wholly owned by Yaw Asante Anim, all the
staff members are paid by SADA every month. Available documents also reveal that
a sum of GHC48, 000 of the total five years rent of GHC120, 000 at GHC2, 000
monthly charges for the office was paid for by SADA.
Besides that, Yaw
Asante Anim is being paid a whopping sum of GHC8, 000, 00 a month by SADA as
part of the project. Apart from that, Yaw Asante Anim has about eight staff in
his 3 Steps Dare company who are paid close to GHC16,000 cedis a month from the
monthly allocation of GHC20,000,00 that SADA provides for 3steps Dare company
for their operations. This amount is paid alongside the monthly rent of GHC2,
000 for the payment of his office apartment and GHC400.00 a month for his
residential accommodation.
The Chief Executive officer of 3Steps Dare
company’s house was rented with funds from SADA. The Laptops, printers,
photocopier and other related equipment’s used by 3steps were all paid for by
SADA.
According to sources, 3 steps does not have anything in its office
or at its chief executive’s house that was purchased by its CEO who doubles as
owner. Everything in there was paid by SADA.
Our sources believe that the
so called big men at SADA are trying to justify the GHC328,488.54 which have
been advanced to 3 Steps Dare company as consultancy fee when 3 steps company
does not have any experience in consultancy of any kind and has not undertaken
any job of that sort before.
The consultancy deal between SADA and 3
steps, our sources say will pave way for SADA to pay a huge sum of about GHC3,
400,000( three million four hundred thousand Ghana cedis) just for the
registration of 54,000 farmers in some selected districts in the SADA zone.
Three steps dare company can then acquire all the equipment and other materials
for the so called registration of 54,000 farmers from the money.
“SADA
provides everything including internet and communication, ECG and water bills ,
printing and stationary , travel and transport Allowance and salary for security
at 3steps office expenses , office repairs and maintenance, water dispenser ,
finger scanner device office phone renewal of business certificate, cleaning and
sanitation director’s expense, fuel for motorbikes,, beds , kitchen cabinet and
wardrobe. All this cost a sum of GHC20, 424.00 a month; and is paid by SADA to
3STEPS dare company as operational expense.
It is interesting to realize
that the salary rate for the eight staff of 3 Steps Dare company, including the
chief executive Yaw Asante Anim shot up from GHC11,386.00 in January 2016 to
GHC30,136.000 in February this year, a 100 percent increase.
The CEO of 3
Steps takes GHC8,000.00 his accountant ,GHC 4,433.28 HR manager, GHC 4,433.28
The three quality assurance officers receive GHC3,144.77 each a month and the
office assistant takes GHC689.60 and all these expenses are paid by SADA”
.
Reacting to these statements in an interview with The New Crusading
GUIDE recently on the issue , the Chief Executive officer of SADA, Mr. Charles
Abugri denied any wrongdoing, saying that there is no contract between SADA and
3 Steps company limited. “This is a research project that they are undertaking
for SADA. It is not a contract. The end product of the research will belong to
SADA not 3Steps and it will be value for our money. You must know that
information is key and based on that information gathering is very expensive.”
He added “we jointly build capacity of teams to consolidate ideas and
implement them”.
According to him the monthly payment of GHC20, 000 cedis
a month for the operational expenses of 3Steps Dare company by SDA is ok and
normal. “I am aware about that. You see the building rented by 3 Steps is
located at a prestige environment in Tamale. The office is located in the heart
of Tamale which makes it that expensive. The location is good because of the
proximity to the central business district and the features it comes
with.”
On the rent payment for the chief executive of 3Steps Company, Mr.
Yaw Asante Anim, Mr. Abugri said, that deal was secured under a memorandum of
understanding between SADA and 3Steps, adding, “we translate every investment
into equity (returns) and for us we see it as a project worth investing
in.”
When asked if staff of SADA enjoy the same benefits as the CEO 3
steps, Mr. Abugri said “SADA officials have different conditions of service from
what has been offered to Yaw Asante Anim. All the employees of SADA were given
their service conditions when they came for interview and they accepted what
they were offered, so you can’t compare it to what 3steps is enjoying. These are
two different things. This particular project he explained was a time bound
investment, “if by July we realize that we are not making any headway, we can
end it. However everything done here is good. You see data generation is
critical.” He added
On the issue of turning the activities of 3 steps
into a consultancy service, he said, “3steps is a partner not a consultancy
firm, we own everything they have apart from the name 3 steps Dare company.
Besides, we are working with other companies and institutions in this same way
like the university of Development studies among others. We have engaged other
companies in solar system development within the SADA zone.”
Asked why
SADA is paying the salary of staff of 3 Steps Company limited, he said it is the
cheapest means of getting firms to help in this area of work. “We did our checks
and we realized that there are companies offering some of these projects but
their fees and charges are very huge. “So we decided to partner with 3 steps and
for us we will recover all our investments based on our share of equity. When we
realize it will not work we will suspend it.”
According to him the data
collection and electronic payment system is a laudable project by three steps
and should not be politicized.
According to him, Yaw Asante is not a
politician but a big business man with enormous knowledge and ideas. He said
although he may not have money he t has ideas.
Asked if he followed all
rules and regulations enshrined in the Public Procurement Act when handing this
particular project to 3steps Dare Company Limited, he said “This is not a
contract we gave to 3steps which warrants bidding and tendering for companies to
be selected. This is a partnership drive that we are undertaking with them and
it does not require any bidding and tender process. SADA has signed a memorandum
of understanding with 3 steps to execute the project. So I think it followed due
process.” |
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