Afenyo Markin wrong – NDC MP question linked to ¢28.8m MASLOC contract cancellation

General News of Sunday, 18 March 2018

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2018-03-18

Alex Afenyo Markin1Efutu MP, Alex Afenyo Markin

An NPP MP’s claim that government’s cancellation of a ¢28.8m car supply contract was not forced by the opposition NDC has been challenged.

An opposition NDC MP had filed a question in parliament on the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) contract awarded to a company, Dextro-Impex, for the supply of 1,800 second-hand vehicles.

Ashaiman Member of Parliament (MP) Ernest Henry Norgbey had suspected procurement breaches in the award of the contract.

But barely two months after the contract was awarded, it was cancelled in October 2017.

What may have triggered the cancellation appears up for political points.

Efutu MP Alexander Afenyo Markins claimed, the abrogation of the contract had nothing to do with the question intended to be asked on the floor of parliament.

He explained the question was filed in November, a month after the contract had been abrogated in October 2017, he said on Joy News on Multi TV news analysis show, Newsfile Saturday.

“I want to put on record that the Honourable member for Ashaiman is a very good friend and when this matter came up I had discussions with him, according to him he filed his question in November,” Mr Markin said.

Boasting of his “very close relationship” with his colleague, the Efutu MP explained the deal was not cancelled because of the “red flags” raised by his colleague.

But the Ashaiman NDC MP Ernest Henry Norgbey has denied speaking to the NPP MP on the question he filed on the MASLOC contract.

Although he confirmed Mr Markin is his “very good friend”, Mr Norgbey said he has not had any conversation with his colleague “under any circumstances.”

In a text message to host Samson Lardy Anyenini, the MP insisted he filed the question “somewhere in September 2017.”

“I filed my question somewhere in September 2017 after the CEO signed the contract and gave a letter of comfort on the 10th of August 2017,” he said.

But the question was not tabled on the floor of parliament until last week when the Procurement Minister Adwoa Safo responded to the query.

By that time, the contract had already been cancelled.

NDC MP for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, believes the government was pushed to act by the question filed by Mr Norgbey.

“The question should have been answered in September [2017] before the termination in October [but] it never got answered somehow,” he said.

Watch the Newsfile discussion below:

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