The embattled acting Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Development Authority, Mr. Sumaila Abdul Rahaman has resigned, few weeks after the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has started his trial and three others at the Tamale High Court.
Mr. Sumaila announced his resignation in a letter to the Chief of Staff at the Jubilee House, the seat of Ghana’s Presidency.
“I write to resign my position as Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Northern Development Authority (NDA). The decision has become necessary to enable me step aside and allow the ongoing judicial process to take place without my interference” he said.
He also seized the opportunity to thank President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for giving him the mandate to serve the country in such capacity.
“Over the last two years, I have worked with my team to oversee the implementation of government flagship projects that are making a huge difference to the people of Northern Ghana. We have also developed a Five-Year Medium Development Strategy which was launched by His Excellency the Vice President in November 2022. I have also worked to establish a very strong relationship between Development Partners and the NDA” Mr. Sumaila stated.
Background
Meanwhile, Mr. Sumaila Abdul-Rahman and three others namely Stephen Yir-eru Engmen, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, Patrick Seidu former Deputy Chief Executive for Finance & Administration and Andrew Kuundaari, the Chief Executive Officer of A&QS Consortium Limited, have been arraigned before the Tamale High Court presided by His Lordship Eric Ansah Ankomah for alleged breaches of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).
The four accused persons were granted a bail of GHS500,000 each amounting to GHS2 million with three sureties each.
The four accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them but the presiding Judge ordered the accused persons to deposit their traveling passports at the court.
Meanwhile, the Court in the last sitting on February 28, 2023, set April 4, 2023, to commence full trial of the case involving three former officials of the Northern Development Authority (NDA) and a private businessman.
