NSA boss Peter Twumasi arrested over alleged fraud
Director General of National Sports Authority [NSA], Peter Twumasi, and his secretary have been arrested for alleged fraud involvement, Joy Sports have reported.
Twumasi turned himself in at the Legon Police station on Friday, October 28, 2022, following the arrest of his secretary, Afia Serebour, on Thursday, October 27, 2022.
The arrest comes after the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a private company, Mum and Sons, reported Serebour and the NSA’s Procurement Officer, Ohene Twumasi, for fraud.
In June 2022, Professor Peter Twumasi was accused of procurement breaches, misuse of state resources, receipt of double salaries, and award of contracts to ghost and non-existing companies.
In an eight-page petition signed by Kwame Baa Mensa, the Focal Person of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan of CHRAJ noted that the staff demanded that Twumasi stepped aside for investigations to begin into his work as Director-General of the governmental institute.
Mum and Sons reported the NSA, its Director General, Peter Twumasi, its Procurement Officer, Ohene Twumasi, and Secretary to the Director General, Afia Serebour early this month to the police after the authority fails to pay for 50 hampers her company provided NSA in January this year.
Per details picked up by Joy Sports, Mum and Sons were engaged to provide 50 new year hampers to the authority at a fee of GHC 500 per hamper, totaling GHC 25,000. However, there was no signed agreement between the two parties despite reported efforts from Mum and Sons for a signed agreement or receipt of work delivered.
Reports are that both Ohene and Afia promised the NSA would make payment within two weeks “so there was a need to sign any document.”
In May this year, five months after delivering the hampers, the NSA defaulted in payment forcing Mum and Sons to report the matter to the EOCO for investigations. The investigations are EOCO was not satisfactory to the complainant as she was told payment would be made as and when the NSA has money.
The authority is reported to have later offered to pay GHC 10,000 instead of the agreed GHC 25,000 which was rejected by Mum and Sons.
In June, Mum and Sons were directed to see the accountant of the NSA for payment. It was during this period the company realized that Bobena Solutions, alleged to be the company of the Director General’s Secretary, Afia Serebour that was entered as the winner of the contract to provide the hampers at a cost of GHC 41,000 and not Mum and Sons.
Bobena Solutions had received GHC 15,000 part-payment. When Joy Sports contacted Afia Serebour in July this year, she cut the phone and directed us to speak to the Procurement Officer after the above details were revealed to her.
Efforts to get the Procurement Officer proved futile as he rejected all phone calls that went through his phone.
Per Mum and Sons, they were advised to allow payment to be made to Bobena Solutions account so that they could receive the amount due them.
However, payment was not made and an official complaint was filed before the Minister of Youth and Sports in September.
Prof Twumasi is reported to have told the Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif that neither he nor the NSA has a contract with Mum and Solutions, forcing Mum and Sons to report the matter to the police to have them arrested.
Invitations were extended to the trio on Wednesday, but they failed to honor the invitation the same day. The Secretary went to the station with her Lawyer on Thursday and was detained, while Prof Twumasi honored the invite on Friday morning.
The police had earlier secured a warrant from the court for their arrest. Police told Joy Sports they are being processed for court.
NB: Additional reports from Joy Sports