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Smarttys to sue media houses over 'mischievous' report

Smartty’s Company Limited is the local representative of a Chinese company, Hunan Construction and Engineering Group in the 92 million dollar loan facility for the electrification project.

Selassie Ibrahim, CEO of Smarttys Management and Production

Smarttys Management and Production Ltd, the company which overpriced the rebranding of Metro Mass Transit Ltd buses in 2015, has been named in another contract between the government and the China Hunan Construction Engineering Group which has been overpriced by $9 million.

Smartty’s is the local representative of a Chinese company, Hunan Construction and Engineering Group in the 92 million dollar loan facility for the electrification project.

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The commercial contract, which was approved by Parliament Monday March 14, 2016, is for $92 million in respect of the supply and erection of electrical materials and equipment for the electrification of 556 communities in the Eastern, Volta and Northern regions.

The contract is being funded from a $98-million credit facility agreement between the government and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China Limited.

Minority Members of Parliament expressed anger at the involvement of Smarttys Management and Productions Limited in the contract worth $92 million, which they alleged is bloated by $9 million.

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This has left Minority MPs wondering why the same company should be involved in another $92m dollar National Electrification Project which is believed to have been overpriced.

A statement signed by Kissi Agyebeng to clarify their involvement with the electrification project said, the firm provided PR services to the Chinese company.

"Our attention has been drawn to media reports mischievously associating our clients, Selassie Ibrahim and Smartty’s management and productions Limited with a supposed $92m contract under the national electrification project.

"Our client dissociate themselves from the execution of an any such contract between the government of Ghana and the other indicated party, China Hunan construction engineering group or any such entity. Our clients are not parties to the contract as reported in sections of the media."

It added: "Our clients have, when requested at various times provided merely public relations services for China Hunan construction engineering group. This does not elevate our clients to the status of parties to the contract executed by the government of Ghana. Take note that we have the full instructions of our clients to institute legal action against any person and media house that persists in the publication or republication of the clearly defamatory and damaging media report. Indeed, we are filing suit promptly against the Media houses that carried the unfortunate untruth masquerading as a verified story".

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