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SSNIT’s ex-DG, Ernest Thompson denies involvement in alleged $72 million fraud

Thompson dismissed the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report over his role in the failed OBS, saying he’s neither aware of the investigation nor audit exercise.

Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT)’s ex-Director-General, Ernest Thompson, has denied involvement in alleged $72million fraud rocking the state trust.

Dismissing the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ report over his role in the failed Operational Business Suite (OBS), Thompson said he’s neither aware of the investigation nor audit exercise.

I’ve not been given an opportunity for hearing - Thompson

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In a statement by Thompson’s solicitor, Tetteh Mensah of Baako Apem Chambers, the ex-DG of SSNIT stressed that he was not given a hearing chance before the SSNIT went to press with the information of his alleged involvement.

“It’s a cardinal principle of law that no one can be condemned without a hearing and no matter the scope of an investigation, our client and other persons who may be affected by the outcome of an audit must be given a hearing on the issue by auditors,” the statement read.

On ballooned contract

Touching on the alleged ballooned contract, Thompson insisted that the prices ballooned because of the need to purchase additional SSNIT cards and kiosks.

In the statement, Thompson stressed that the original scoping for the contract requirement was put at $34 million, provisions were made for only 400,000 cards, although the Trust had contributor population of over three million.

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He further averred that the scoping provided for only five biometric kiosks whereas SSNIT has about 54 branch offices throughout the country and all needed to be provided with the kiosks to enable contributors to access any information.

“From the above, therefore, the purchases for additional cards of over 2 million and 50 kiosks in furtherance of the effective management of the project would justifiably be in the right direction which would lead also to contract price escalation automatically,” the statement said.

SSNIT ignored the truth - Thompson

Thompson in his statement also accused the current management of SSNIT for ignoring the truth and evidence surrounding the OBJ project.

Thompson said, “It is thus obvious and crystal clear that the SSNIT management has decided to do politics and in the process has adopted as its weapons – persecution, and victimization of our client – and ignored the truth, evidence, and facts surrounding this OBS project.”

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Thompson further stressed that a fair hearing from him and others who had been fingered in the alleged $72 million fraud would have cleared some of the misconceptions.

Ernest Thompson, John Hagan Mensah, Caleb Kweku Afaglo and Juliet Hassana Kramer – Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Perfect Business Systems (PBS), have been indicted over their alleged roles in the failed OBS project.

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