…After Alarm Blows On $180 Million Theft
A suspected attempt to steal property (Single Window software) of the government of Ghana and sell it back to the same government at an amount of $180 Million has backfired big time with the suspects desperately hiding evidence, albeit, too late in the day.
Meticulous investigations have revealed rather jaw-dropping names involved in the fraudulent scheme and some of the culprits are singing like canary birds.
Meanwhile, suspected accomplices, CUPIA Korea Customs Service (UNIPASS) has pulled down its single window website, after it became a national concern that the information on the site to explain its version of Single Window, was no different from the existing information on the Ghana National Single Window.
Meanwhile, the website was to have contained information on the supposedly newly built and superior system being brought by UNIPASS to take over Single Window operations in Ghana.
The UNIPASS website, which read “Ghana’s Trade Hub”, cannot be accessed anymore. It has been collapsed. It is possible it was shut down to hide the embarrassing evidence.
Indeed “Ghana’s Trade Hub” is the same existing facility of the government of Ghana.
A click on the domain name now displays: “This site can’t be reached. trade.gov.gh.services’server IP address cannot be found”.
It is also plausible the company shut down the website in order to escape a possible law suit over the suspected cloning of the existing system.
BACKGROUND
In March 2018, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, under the leadership of Alan Kyerematen, signed a 10-year sole sourced contract with Nick Danso’s Ghana Link Network Service Limited and its overseas partners, CUPIA Koria Customs Service, to take over the Ghana National Single Window with what was said to be a newly built customized superior system.
The new company was to have built a superior single window platform for the country and this was explained as justification why the deal was costing government more money than the existing Single Window operators.
Along the line, it emerged that the supposed newly built and superior software with which Ghana Link Network Service Limited with its overseas partners, CUPIA Koria Customs Service (UNIPASS) was to operate, is no different from the existing systems already being operated by Ghana government.
The supposed system looks exactly like the existing Ghana Single Window system. The features, designs, and operations resembles the current system, with one of its modules labeled UNI-PAARS (PAARS being the existing system used by Ghana Customs).
Surprisingly, the website (now collapsed) of the supposedly newly built and superior system being brought by UNIPASS has posters and artworks of the existing operators.
Some Ghana Customs officers, freight forwarders and other stake holders who were privy to demonstrations of the supposedly new superior system expressed their confusion and called for a probe.
INVESTIGATIONS
Investigators recently commenced an off media probe into the drama and have since made alarming discoveries.
While investigations were ongoing, it was detected the UNIPASS website had been shut down. This shut down, appears to be a late idea because it was done was after all necessary forensic evidences had been gathered and insider conspirators have opened up with rather embarrassing confessions.
Currently, investigators are working head over heels to unravel the mystery that explains why the Trade Ministry signed the $180 Million sole sourced 10-year contract on the blind side of the Parliament of Ghana and President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Cabinet.
-To be continued.
