Why Sylvester Was Arrested � Deep Throat Sources

Deep throat sources at the Flagstaff House have revealed that the idea of conducting a kind of forensic audit at the NHIA was mooted and recommended to the President by some high ranking officials including the Minister of Finance who had had a running battle with the former CEO over his insistence that the scheme would collapse before the 2016 election if injection of additional funding is not urgently considered.

It is recorded that there has been hot exchanges on a high level party WhatsApp platform between the two over what Sylvester has indicated as inaccuracy from Seth Terkper.

Seth’s initial role in proposing an audit in the style of the NSS was intended to fix the CEO and get him to  shut up.

It is further revealed that while NHIA was asking for additional funding to meet its claims obligations the Minister of finance due to rigidity directed the deduction of large sums from the NHI levy account particularly in 2012 and 2015, putting the scheme in dire financial constraint. It is revealed that the cumulative effect on the scheme’s finances in 2016, an election year is frightening.

 

Conspiracy Theory One

Deep throat sources have it that the Ministry of Finance in seeing the looming danger, and sensing the former CEO’s unwillingness to tackle the NHIA debate in the electioneering year and fear of being exposed, orchestrated the BNI audit ostensibly to shift the focus on Finance and the blame on government.

Is this so called highly popularized arrest and supposed investigations intended to shift blame and burry the debate during the 2016 election campaign? Some providers say it is a storm in a tea cup and Sylvester is being unfairly treated.

A source at the Ministry of Finance has hinted the several letters authored by the former CEO attest to a gloomy situation that requires urgent attention.

 

Conspiracy Theory Two

The same deep throat from the Flagstaff House maintains that a couple of people in high position including one man who has a lot of influence over the national security apparatus have persistently resisted the motion and recommendation of giving the embattled CEO a Ministerial appointment.

This the deep throat source says is common knowledge among a circle of the President’s friends in government. 

The President’s intended Cabinet reshuffle which was going to see Sylvester in a very powerful Ministry, triggered anger and frustration leading to the strategy to find solace in the ongoing NHIA audit as a means to frustrate any proposed announcement.

The action therefore had to be timely and a public arrest was considered the solution. Unfortunately Mr Mensah was not in Accra but the mischief needed to be out in the public to achieve the effect and purpose.

Anxiety and haste therefore triggered the need for the 7 armed BNI men in his private residence. The question is why has government not investigated who ordered the failed arrest? The CCTV footages are available but there is disinterest. Hello! Do you understand now?

Conspiracy Theory Three

Another source close to Mr Mensah provides that there was a media war over who the NDC would pick as running mate of the President John Dramani Mahama.

The Former NHIA CEO’s name featured prominently and was the leading candidate if the current Vice President should decide to exit. If it were an elective position the grassroots of the party’s choice would have been Sylvester Mensah.

His tribal links with both the Greater Accra and Volta regions strategically placed him above all others. The strategy for all interested candidates who did not feel they could be nominated therefore backed the current Veep so they could take time and prepare for 2020 election.

The NHIA audit therefore became the whipping rod to bring Sylvester Mensah down long before he develops enhanced capacity and prominence. While the Veep may not have sanctioned any negative action against Sylvester, same cannot be said against his right hand men who would want him to carry on beyond 2016.

Is it the case that a loose network of political animals having a shared common fear may have orchestrated this Rambo style display and negative media attention to what otherwise was well intended for the public good?

All three are plausible and may have conspired unknowingly to call a dog a bad name and hang it. These have become highly politicized.

What were the original terms of reference? Was it claims payment fraud? Or was it administrative weaknesses and procurement flaws? Why have we now extended the time frame to cover the period 2005 to date? When would the findings be out? Would it be after the President has announced his nominees for the impending ministerial reshuffle?

Which government would undertake such an exercise against its own without public outcry?

 

We are waiting.

Stay tuned for more development on the nature of the interrogation particularly of Sylvester Mensah. Witch hunt or NHIA audit? 

Source: Herbert Akai Nettey/ Tel:0248956012