By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
A civil society group, calling itself New Ghana Social Justice Forum, has thronged the premises of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST) in Accra to demand the resignation and prosecution of top officials of the company.
Their demand follows the purchase of 18 pieces of the latest Apple mobile phones for BOST’s corporate executives costing the taxpayer and the country, Gh¢285,412.16 and several financial losses captured in the 2022 Auditor General’s Report.
Addressing the media at the protest, the President of the Ghana Social Justice Forum, Mr. Yahaya Alhassan, called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to dissolve the management and Board of Directors of BOST immediately to protect the public purse.
“Ghana is berserk with corruption, the Energy Ministry is an industry of corruption,” Alhassan said.
“We are calling on all well-meaning Ghanaians to join this campaign to prosecute all BOST top officials and dissolve BOST Board members. Had this been in the advanced countries, the Board chairman of BOST should have been imprisoned by now. We are calling on President Akufo-Addo, but what is clear is that the BOST Board members are not in existence. Even though they are here, Ghanaians don’t want them, they should be prosecuted as soon as possible.” He reiterated.
BOST was accused of purchasing 18 iPhone 13 Pro Max phones in the 2022 Auditor General’s Report for its corporate executives, amounting to GH¢28 million.
BOST in a press statement acknowledged the acquisition of the phones for its corporate executives in May 2022 but debunked the GH¢28 million figure making rounds on social media.
The Corporate Communications and External Affairs Department of the Company said the total cost of the phones was GH¢234,000.00, including taxes.
“The total cost of the phones stood at Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Thousand Ghana Cedis (234,000.00) grossed up for taxes at Two Hundred and Eighty-Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Twelve Ghana Cedis, Sixteen Pesewas (GHS285, 412.16),” the Corporate Communications and External Affairs Department said in its statement.