Jinapor Vows to Uncover Truth Amid Procurement Irregularities
In a fiery address to Parliament, Minister John Jinapor reaffirmed his commitment to exposing irregularities in government procurement processes. Speaking passionately on the floor, he declared, “The President has given me his full backing—I won’t rest until the truth is uncovered!”
Jinapor highlighted severe procurement discrepancies, revealing that in 2023, the approved procurement budget stood at 935 million cedis, yet actual procurement exceeded 8.3 billion cedis. Similarly, in 2024, the allocated budget was 1.3 billion cedis, but procurement skyrocketed to 8.2 billion cedis. According to the Minister, these vast discrepancies led to an influx of containers at the port, many of which remained uncleared, exacerbating systemic inefficiencies and potential corruption.
READ ALSO: AI Will Not Take Your Job If You Know How To Use It
“The MD has a procurement threshold of $1 million per day,” Jinapor noted. “Yet, we see the signing of 20 contracts, all valued at 900,000 cedis each—an attempt to bypass oversight mechanisms. These are the key issues I am focusing on. Let me tell those politicians, and excuse my language, some criminals involved, who are trying to muddy the waters on social media—your days are numbered.”
MUST READ: GoldBod: A Game-Changer or Just Another Political Gimmick?
The Minister emphasized that every shipment arriving at the port is traceable, complete with serial numbers and accompanying documentation. “Somebody has to sign for it. It has to go through an agent and reach a destination. I will trace all of that,” he asserted.
To address these concerns, Jinapor has initiated an investigation with the Bureau of National Investigations. Additionally, he announced immediate directives to restructure the procurement unit. The unit, previously merged with the estate department, will now be decoupled and placed under the management of a qualified procurement expert.
Moreover, the budget for procurement has been slashed from 500 million cedis to 250 million cedis, as part of efforts to ensure fiscal discipline and transparency. “We must pay for the power producers. The energy sector’s outstanding bill is over 80 billion cedis, and urgent measures are required,” Jinapor stated.
EXPLORE: Apply for Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2025 – Fully Funded Internship
His address was met with applause and approval from Parliament, signaling a strong stance against financial mismanagement in the public sector. With the President’s backing and an intensified probe underway, all eyes remain on the unfolding investigation and the steps taken to curb procurement irregularities in Ghana’s energy sector.
Follow us on Twitter and WhatsApp for more.
