In a surprising turn of events, two of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s daughters, Gyakroma Akufo-Addo and Edwina Nana Dokua Akufo-Addo, have ventured into the cultivation and packaging of cannabis in Ghana.
They have teamed up with Stephen Okoro, a Ghanaian-born Nigerian and the father of Gyakroma’s child, to establish a company named “Good Grow Limited” established almost three years before Parliament, attempted to decriminalize wee alias Ganja, alias Indian hemp, alias Tampi, and alias Abosam Taya.
This is despite the president’s past struggles with accusations of narcotics use, his daughters have boldly entered the cannabis industry, which remains illegal in Ghana.
The couple together with Edwina, have established a company called “Good Grow Limited” with its objects and principle activity as the “Growing and farming of cannabis for Cannabidiol”.
The trio, were long established waiting to go into full-time wee cultivation and the money it will bring them.
Stephen Okoro, who attended the Ghana International School (GIS) with Gyakroma, acts as the secretary for Good Grow Limited, while Gyakroma and Edwina, serve as directors.
Ghana’s parliament, had in 2023 passed into law the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2023 as a result, the Ministry of Interior has been bestowed with the responsibility of issuing licenses for the cultivation of cannabis, opening up avenues for the utilization of this versatile plant in various beneficial applications.
But ahead of the passage, Stephen, Gyakroma and Edwina, had two years earlier, specifically on August 20, 2020, rushed to the Registrar General, to officially incorporate their company “Good Grow Limited”.
It has its registration number as CS137332020.
Interestingly, the company uses the private Nima Residence of the President as their address with the following details.
- Ghana Digital Address: GA-026-2271
- House/Building/Flat Number: HOUSE NUMBER 2
- Street Name/Land Mark: Naa Odoicho Kwao Rd.
- City: ONYAA CRESCENT, NIMA-ACCRA
- Country: GHANA
- Region: GREATER ACCRA
- District: Accra
- Postal Address: P.O. BOX 207, ACCRA GA/R
- Post Code: GA026
The Auditor-General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu and his men at the Audit Service, had scrutinized and indicted Service Ghana Auto Group Limited (SGAGL), a company partially owned by Stephen Okoro, a son-in-law of the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, who was awarded both supplies of the 307 One-Constituency One–Ambulances Initiative at US$54.339 million, as well as, spare parts deal at US$34.9 million.
Stephen, runs SGAGL with Alvin Mensah, another business partner of Gyakroma Akufo-Addo and Edwina Nana Dokua Akufo-Addo, the two daughters of the President.
Interestingly, the Ministry of Health, has in an unsigned press statement justified the existence of a service contract between the defunct Ministry of Special Development Initiatives and Service Ghana Auto Group Limited roping in the Office of the Chief of Staff, as well as the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
Mavis Hawa Koomson, now the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture, had mentioned buying the 307 Mercedes Benz buses for the One-Ambulance One Constituency initiative at US$54.339 million at US$177,000 per bus. A document signed by ex-Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta and dated 9th February 2024 authorized the payment of US$34.9 million for spare parts for the 307 Mercedes Benz buses to Service Ghana Auto Group Limited bringing the amount spent on the ambulances to over US$89 million.
The Auditor-General in his report, had painted an untidy situation at the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and indicted its management for allowing its staff to work for Service Ghana Auto Group Limited, while charging the state for those services it provided.
In one instance, the NAS boss, was directly accused of aiding and abetting a conflict of interest situation by paying a staff, Emmanuel Owusu Boadu, who had used his private company to render a service to the institution.
However, the Auditor-General was more skating with the Service Ghana Auto Group Limited in a performance audit report on fleet management of the National Ambulance Service dated May 22, 2022, saying it had submitted inflated invoices and gotten paid for the service it used NAS staff to execute. It was asked to refund some payments, but it didn’t.
“We also noted that NAS processed and paid for labour to SGAGL, a third-party service provider with inflated invoices, despite the service provider using NAS staff to carry out the maintenance work. Also, NAS engaged the services of a company owned by a Staff who was on NAS payroll”, the report said.
It went on to say “Our analysis of expenditure as provided in Table 2, shows that, NAS has spent a total of GH¢32, 386, 108.16, within the audit period and could not pay for insurance premium of GH¢256,000.00, that would have salvaged 16 of the new ambulances. Pictures 5, 6, 7, and 8, shows some broken-down ambulances parked at Tafo and Agric directorate workshop in Kumasi and NAS workshop at Korle-Bu in Accra.
With respect to the conflict of interest, it said that “NAS was not diligent in obtaining the services of third-party providers. The CEO of NAS agreed with a company owned by a staff of NAS and made payment to him for work done, though the staff was on NAS payroll.
“This situation raises concerns whether Emmanuel Owusu Boadu carries out his work in the interest of NAS or his company, thus, making him unreliable in providing maintenance services both as a NAS technician and third-party service provider.
“We noted that within the period in review, we noted that Emmanuel Owusu Boadi was on the staff payroll of NAS and has been working as a third-party provider since 2014. NAS officially signed a service contract with E.O.B in 2017 as a third-party service provider.
“The CEO signed the contract and the director of operations witnessed, though they knew Emmanuel Owusu Boadi was a staff of NAS and on the NAS staff payroll.
“Management of NAS has agreed to the findings and recommendation for implementation. It stated that the Special Development Initiative Secretariat has been informed to review the Service Maintenance Agreement signed with Service Ghana Auto Group Limited.
Service Ghana Auto Group Limited got a US$34,904,505.00 supply contract to purchase spare parts for the 307 Mercedes Benz buses it supplied to the NAS through the defunct Ministry of Special Initiatives, but was inherited by the Ministry of Health.
More to come!
