Former Member of Parliament for Effia, Joseph Cudjoe, has renewed calls for transparency in the Publican AI Customs system contract, warning that the continued secrecy surrounding its financial terms could set a dangerous precedent for governance in Ghana.
In a detailed commentary, the former Public Enterprises Minister stressed that the financial terms remain the most critical component of any agreement.
“The most important aspects of any contract is the financial terms,” he stated, insisting that without disclosure, it is impossible to properly assess value for money.
He also raised concerns about remarks made by the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority in a recent public interview, noting that the inability to disclose key details weakens public confidence.
According to Mr Cudjoe, the Commissioner indicated that “Ghana is paying for the contract but for contract confidentiality, he cannot tell Ghanaians how much we are paying for the Publican AI Customs system.”
He argued that such responses undermine accountability and transparency in public financial management.
Mr Cudjoe cautioned that the refusal to disclose the cost of the contract risks creating a troubling culture within government institutions.
“GRA’s refusal to disclose how much we are paying for this service will set a very dangerous precedent for Ghana,” he said, adding that if allowed to persist, “Ministers and other State agencies will follow suit to hide corruption.”
He maintained that transparency is essential in safeguarding public resources and urged authorities to make the financial terms of the agreement public, stressing that citizens have a right to know how much the country is committing to the project.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com