Instead Of Criticizing, Ghanaians Must Support Subah � Allotey Jacobs

SubahInfosolutions, a leading IT and Telecommunications solution provider in Ghana has been at the receiving end of a lot of bashing and criticisms. A government committee set up to investigate the payment of GHC144 million to SubahInfoSolutions Ghana Limited by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) for alleged no work done has exonerated the private IT firm. The company which is a member of the Jospong Group was contracted in 2010 by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to provide telecommunication traffic monitoring in the country.The report says the contract was legally awarded and cannot be terminated. The report also says Subah justifiably incurred cost in executing the contract for which reason it was paid 74.3 million cedis contrary to the reported 144 million cedis for services rendered. The report, however, admits that Subah failed to fully execute its contract but blamed this on the unwillingness of Telecom companies to allow Subah to attach equipment that will independently monitor revenue declared. It has therefore negotiated a 1 per cent reduction in Subah�s charges. But this has stirred controversy among pressure groups and some civil society members with many questioning the authenticity of the committee�s report. Despite these controversies, Central Regional Communication Director of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs says Subah should be supported because it is a Ghanaian company. He told KwamiSefaKayi on Peace FM�sKokrokoothat instead of accusing government and Subah of corruption, �Ghanaians should be patriotic�. �There are some people in this country who do not look at the national interest�if you are a patriotic citizen, I believe this Subahinfosolution contract; we as Ghanaians should rise up and support Subah info. It is a Ghanaian company but it is like some people want to rather protect the interest of the Telcos. The telcos have a right to choose someone to represent their interest but not to the extent that we will support the telcos to undermine the taxes that they have to pay to government�the telcos are walking in the shadows of darkness and trying to convince some people to defend their interest at the expense of the state. Meanwhile, we need money to pay our teachers who are on strike. Are we stifling Ghanaian entrepreneurship?� he queried.