Minister Accused of Awarding State Contracts to His Own Company

Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Sanitation, Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, is under scrutiny for reportedly awarding over GHS 15 million in state contracts to Batuowiisi Company Limited, a business tied to his inner circle. The company was incorporated in 2017, with ownership attributed to Chinnia’s brother, cousin, and driver—shortly after his appointment as Deputy Minister for the Upper West Region. It went on to receive a GHS 2.6 million contract under the “Planting for Food and Jobs” initiative, followed by a GHS 12.6 million road project in 2019. A JoyNews investigation revealed on-site deficiencies and questionable project quality.

Although conflict-of-interest signals are clear, Chinnia maintains that he has no affiliation with the firm and has committed no ethical breaches. Meanwhile, civil society groups like the Ghana Integrity Initiative are pushing for his suspension and a formal investigation by CHRAJ, citing contraventions of the Public Procurement Act. This situation has become a prime illustration of how political authority in Ghana is sometimes used to channel state funds to allies.

Source: JoyNews