Haruna Iddrisu responds to US$2.5 million bribery claims as “cheap blackmail”; Ex-Ejisu MP yet to…
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The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has reacted to allegations of corruption made against him by News24, a major news portal in South Africa, which claimed he had been the recipient of a supposed bribe of US$2.5 million, the equivalent of 47 million South African rands.
The investigative report, delved into the activities of siblings Rushil and Nishani Singh, who operated the Ghana Infrastructure Company (GIC) between 2017 and 2022, and indicated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP, was a ‘broker’ for the company in Ghana allegedly benefited from bribes to the tune of over US$2.5 million.
GIC on its website said it “is deeply rooted in the infrastructure development of Ghana having worked in areas such as Ashanti – Kumasi, Northern Ghana – Tamale and Buipe. We have also conducted operations with logistic partners globally. GIC aims to be the number one construction choice for the African continent”.
+233 20 696 5857 and 233 24 470 4291, were provided as the company’s contact phone numbers, while asumah@bigroup.co.za, is the email address of the company.
Asumah Dokurugu, it is believed is the GIC’s director in Ghana,. The company location is captured on its website as H/No. 18 Ayibe Town, Wood Lane, Accra.
It said “GIC has been involved in the rehabilitation, upgrading and construction of various roads and drains in Tamale. We have the knowledge and skills to ensure the successful completion of projects unique to the environment”.
Other information provided on its website, said that the GIC, is involved in civil works, drainage, traffic & roads engineering”.
The report also mentioned a former MP for Ejisu, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, but did not drill into details of how he benefitted. Aduomi’s involvement was largely linked to some road subcontracts that GIC got.
The major headline in South Africa, as reported by News24, implicates Haruna Iddrisu, the NDC Tamale South MP, along with individuals Jalil, Asumah Dokurugu (a close associate and supporter of Haruna’s Institute), and Kwabena Adoumi in a network of kickbacks and inflated public procurement contracts awarded to the Ghana Infrastructure Company (GIC), which has ties to Haruna Iddrisu.
According to the report, the former Minority Leader, allegedly received bribes totalling over $2.5 million from these contracts.
The South African government, has taken a keen interest in the case due to a double murder involving the liquidators of the company owned by Haruna’s purported Indian-South African girlfriend, who has been cooperating with authorities since her arrest.
News24’s investigation, also uncovered a series of murders in South Africa involving the Singhs, who built a R1 billion Ghanaian empire that the Murrays allegedly threatened to dismantle.
Over the last decade, siblings Rushil and Nishani Singh, secured government contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to construct roads in Ghana and obtained over R550 million in loans from Investec Bank. The Murrays’ alleged threat to their empire may have led to their deaths.
“While Haruna’s exact involvement in securing the hospital contracts for GIC remains unclear, he reportedly received at least R10 million (USD$543,000) in profit share from the project,” the report states.
In response, Haruna Iddrisu, did not explicitly deny knowing the Singhs personally, nor did he refute claims that Asumah Dokurugu is his protégé and closest confidant, identified in the report as the country manager for GIC.
Additionally, Abdul Jalil Ibrahim, mentioned in the report, is alleged to have received funds on Haruna’s behalf.
Haruna Iddrisu in his rejoinder issued yesterday, categorically denied brokering any deal for GIC in Ghana, or any involvement in the company’s affairs, adding he had never received any payment from GIC or the Singh siblings, saying, “I will not succumb to cheap blackmail.”
He added that, the allegations against him were mere propaganda meant to tarnish his hard-earned reputation.
“To be clear, and for the avoidance of doubt, I have never at any point in time, received personally, directed to be paid to, benefited from, or been aware of, any unlawful, illegal or immoral payments made by either GIC or the Singhs. Also, I have never brokered any deals to benefit GIC and/or the Singhs.
“… I vehemently deny these allegations and categorically refute any implication of wrongdoing. This unfounded allegation not only seeks to tarnish my reputation but also undermines the trust and integrity of my office as the Member of Parliament for the people of Tamale South,” the MP wrote.
The MP, also stated that the “so-called investigative report” failed to provide any evidence of his association with the South African company or its owners.
“In this publication, I have been described as ‘the Singhs’ closest associate’ and as being responsible for brokering contracts worth over GHS 400 million to their company, Ghana Infrastructure Company (‘GIC’), in exchange for money. In making these allegations, which I do not take lightly, News24, after its supposedly painstaking investigation, fails to show that I indeed received any monies from the Singhs or GIC. All it resorts to are fabrications and colourful storytelling in its attempts to forcefully include me in its publication. I am neither a director nor a shareholder of GIC, nor am I involved in its management.
“In all, even though I am alleged to have received Forty-Seven Million Rand (R47 million), the breakdown of the alleged receipts shows the fanciful nature of the allegations made by News24, following its supposedly elaborate investigation. Payments that were made to one Asumah Dokurugu, GIC’s director in Ghana, various suppliers, and political campaigns are for some reason being attributed to me without any basis. News24 also seeks to forcefully implicate me on an irrational basis regarding the association of my name with the Haruna Institute. For the record, the Haruna Institute does not operate a bank account and only survives on members’ contributions.”
The former Minority Leader of the 8th Parliament of Ghana added, “Finally, in its desperation, News24 further states that GIC paid for the construction of my house and funded several foreign trips for me. Conspicuously missing in all these claims is any suggestion or claim that there is any proof that I received these alleged payments, betraying the bad faith intent of the publication, which has sought to put square pegs in round holes just to use my name to create traction for its portal.”
The News24 investigative report focused on the activities of the Singh siblings, Rushil and Nishani, who operated the Ghana Infrastructure Company (GIC) between 2017 and 2022.
Portions of the report sighted by GhanaWeb, gave a breakdown of how different sums of monies were supposedly transmitted to the lawmaker through others and in some cases by way of financial support for projects.
Monies were paid in lieu of profit share from a subcontract for the construction of Buipe Hospital and for the construction of Haruna’s private residence.
Payments by Singh and GIC to Haruna Iddrisu
“Between 2015 and 2020, Nishani Singh used several methods to pay Idrissu directly, or to others at his request or for his benefit, at least R47 million.
“The majority of the money was paid directly from GIC’s account to various suppliers, or to GIC’s director in Ghana, Asumah Dokurugu,” the report said adding that the amount was exclusive of “amounts paid for several overseas trips to London and at least one trip to Indonesia and South Africa.”
The report also mentioned a former MP for Ejisu, but did not drill into details of how he benefitted.
Kwabena Owusu Aduomi’s involvement was largely linked to some road subcontracts that GIC got.
“Aduomi is not a signatory to the contracts but in his capacity as deputy roads minister, he was in charge of the departments responsible for the administration of the bids — most of the deals were awarded on a sole source basis.
“But it appears that Haruna was their main go-to person to secure contracts in the Ashanti Region, from where Aduomi hails, and in Tamale, Haruna’s constituency,” the report added.
This excludes amounts paid for several overseas trips to London and at least one trip to Indonesia and South Africa.
Payments breakdown:
• R31.8m: Payments to Dokurugu as well as donations to political campaigns.
• R1.6m: To Might Ghana Ltd, a company owned by Ibrahim Abdul Jalil, who is also patron of Iddrisu’s non-profit, the Haruna Institute.
• R898,808: Directly to Jalil.
• R7.3m: For the construction of Iddrisu’s house.
• R4.4m: Profit share from a subcontract for the construction of Buipe Hospital.
Re: Murray Murders: The Singhs’ R1bn Ghanaian Empire that the Murrays threatened to destroy
My attention has been drawn to the above-titled publication published on 13 May 2024, by News24, a South African news website on its portal, www.news24.com. In my long public service career, I have grown accustomed to being the subject of false publications that seek to impugn my reputation, or in one way or the other, implicate me in matters that I am clueless about. Generally, I have considered attempts of this nature to be a hazard of the job and have usually ignored them. However, the allegations contained in this particular publication, which has sought to implicate me in bribery allegations, which according to News24, in an attempt to cover up, has led to the death of two persons, are so grave that I cannot help but respond.
In this publication, I have been described as “the Singhs’ closest associate” and described as being responsible for brokering contracts worth over GHS 400 million to their company, Ghana Infrastructure Company (“GIC”), in exchange for money.
In making these allegations which I do not take lightly, New24, after its supposedly painstaking investigation, fails to show that I indeed received any monies from the Singhs’ or GIC. All it resorts to are fabrications and colourful storytelling in its attempts to forcefully include me in its publication. I am neither a director nor a shareholder of GIC, nor am I involved in its management.
In all, even though I am alleged to have received Forty-Seven Million Rand (R47 million), the breakdown of the alleged receipts shows the fanciful nature of the allegations made by New24, following its supposedly elaborate investigation.
Payments that were made to one Asumah Dokurugu, GIC’s director in Ghana, various suppliers, and political campaigns are for some reason being attributed to me without any basis. New24 also seeks to forcefully implicate me on an irrational basis regarding the association of my name to the Haruna Institute. For the record, the Haruna Institute does not operate a bank account and only survives on members’ contributions.
Finally, in its desperation, News24, further states that GIC paid for the construction of my house and funded several foreign trips for me. Conspicuously missing in all these claims, is any suggestion or claim that there is any proof that I received these alleged payments, betraying the bad faith intent of the publication, which has sought to put square pegs in round holes just to use my name to create traction for its portal.
To be clear, and for the avoidance of doubt, I have never at any point in time, received personally, directed to be paid to, benefited from, or been aware of, any unlawful, illegal or immoral payments made by either GIC or the Singhs. Also, I have never brokered any deals to benefit GIC and/or the Singhs.
Curiously, News24 in trying to create the impression that it reached out to me for comments, indicates that I ignored posts on my active social media pages. This further shows the bad faith approach, and honestly, puts in question the supposedly in-depth nature of its investigation. I have had occasion in the past to publicly indicate that I have no social media accounts and that the general public should disregard any accounts associated with my name. A simple Google search on my social media presence leads you to several posts by media outlets on this. It is therefore questionable that a supposedly reputable media outlet would after using its hallowed investigative skills, seek to reach me through social media accounts unrelated to me.
I vehemently deny these allegations and categorically refute any implication of wrongdoing. This unfounded allegation not only seeks to tarnish my reputation but also undermines the trust and integrity of my office as the Member of Parliament for the people of Tamale South.
As a responsible member of parliament, I am committed to upholding the highest standard of ethics and transparency. I have always conducted myself with integrity and have never engaged in any form of corrupt behaviour.
In light of these unfounded claims, I demand that the accuser provide concrete evidence to support their accusations. Any allegation of corruption must be backed by factual evidence rather than mere speculation or hearsay.
I do not know what may have motivated this false and unjustified attempt to denigrate my image, but rest assured that I do not intend to treat these false allegations lightly. I have promptly referred this matter to my lawyers and eagerly await their advice on the next steps to be taken. It is time that we held media outlets to high journalistic standards and quell the abuse of journalistic privileges. I will not succumb to cheap blackmail.
Signed
Hon. Haruna Iddrisu
Source: Herald
