Maritime Authority blows over GH₵10,000 on lunch for 8; conflict of interest looms

The Co-Chairman of the Citizen’s Movement against Corruption (CMaC), Edem Senanu wants the Director General  of Ghana Maritime Authority, Mr. Kwame Owusu, investigated for possibly dabbling in dealings which smack of conflict of interest. Mr. Kwame Owusu is alleged to have supervised the payment of various sums of money to LUXE Hotels in Accra. The Authority’s  own website has publicised his responsibility in overseeing the growth of LUXE Hotels as Group Chairman. In one instance, a memo dated 8th November 2017 was addressed to him by Ms. Rhoda Atiah, Director of Administration at the Authority, requesting Mr. Owusu to authorise the payment of Ten Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty-Two Ghana Cedis, Five Pesewas (GH₵10,652.05) to Luxe Suites Hotel. The amount, the memo said, was to cover “the cost of food supplied to the Authority during the Management meetings and stakeholders meetings on Maritime Security fees and charges at the Head Office” . Sources say the GH₵10,652.05 was blown on just eight people which has raised a number of questions, but editors.3news.com is unable to independently confirm that information. On December 28, 2017, Ms Atiah raised another memo asking for Mr. Owusu’s approval for the payment of  GH₵135,125.00 to LUXE Hotels for the cost of food, drinks and music provided for staff and protocols during end of year dinner party of the Ghana Maritime Authority on Friday, December 22, 2017. Addressing the issue of conflict of interest on TV3’s News@10 on Wednesday, Edem Senanu told Stephen Anti that Mr. Owusu should have declared his interest and recused himself from any dealings involving LUXE Hotels. “There is clearly conflict of interest in there…I think that is something that ought to be investigated so that people do not get away with these kind of things,” the Co-Chairman of CMaC proposed. All attempts to get the Ghana Maritime Authority to comment on this developing story were unsuccessful at the time of this publication. By Isaac Essel |editors.3news.com | Ghana