AFAG slams Huawei contract

GOVERNMENT

By Nana Appiah Acquaye, Accra, Ghana

The Public Relations Manager for Huawei Ghana, Gideon Obeng, has disclosed to BiztechAfrica his company’s intention to respond duly to allegations of sponsoring government officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) with air trips tickets and party paraphernalia as a thank you gesture, in return of a contract the government awarded to the company in December, 2011.

In a quite open correspondence to BiztechAfrica in response to the allegations, Obeng noted that: “We will respond to those allegations duly”.

A political pressure group in Ghana known as the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) accused the  Chinese telecommunications company, Huawei, of  sponsoring some party paraphernalia of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). According the group it has documents in its possession indicating that the gesture is in return of an e-governance contract the government awarded to the company in December, 2011 to provide communication solutions for the country’s e-governance project.

The group said the act contravened Act 574 of the constitution which defines the terms of party funding in the country. Section 23(1) of the Act states that: “only a citizen may contribute whether in cash or in kind to the fund of a political party. Whilst section 24 states that “A non-citizen shall not directly or indirectly make a contribution or donation or loan whether in cash or in kind to the funds held by or for the benefit of a political party and no political party or person acting for or on behalf of a political party shall demand or accept a contribution donation or loan from a non-citizen”.

It said “Huawei has been printing campaign paraphernalia (T-shirts, cups, key holders etc.) worth millions of dollars for the NDC. It has to be said even after the death of president Mills, President John Mahama continues to enjoy this facility.”

The group further called for immediate deportation of officials of Huawei for the violation of the political party law and for the Electoral Commission to publish the annual report of the NDC to ascertain whether these donations had ever been reported.