Finance Minister-designate, Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed that Databank, a financial institution he co-founded has supported various governments including the NDC in financial transactions.
The comment comes as a response to a question posed by First Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Appointments Committee in Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu during his vetting, Friday.
Mr Ofori-Atta was asked if Databank had ever been involved in any government transaction since he assumed office as Finance Minister.
Responding to the question, he stated that various administrations including some NDC governments have engaged Databank in transactions.
He noted that in the 1990s for instance, soon after Databank was launched, the bank helped government in securing $25 million to help privatise some 8 companies.
"In the 1990s when government had talked about privatising a number of maybe 6 or 8 companies Unilever, PZ enterprise shares, it had been an impossible task. And when we launched our company, I think in 1993/94 we were able to put together $25 million to execute that transaction, which was 80% of the stock market at that time".
"And when we started the Eurobond issuance in 2007, we were part of that transaction in Kufour's era. But even before that, also, there was a crisis of liquidity in Ashanti in which former President Rawlings and Former President Mills invited Databank and Calbank to bring our expertise to bear and to resolve that," he said.
"So we have constantly participated, independent of which government there was to date".
Asked by MP for Asaawase, Muntaka Mubarak whether all transactions went through competitive bidding, he responded in the affirmative.
"I think we (Databank) have subjected ourselves as far as I've known to whatever process that has gone on including these past three years.
As far I know, since 2007, all of the transactions have gone through the Ministry's competitive bidding [but] I suspect that the issue of the advisory of the Ashanti liquidity crisis was where Professor Mills selected Databank and Calbank, giving their expertise to support the government, is what I don't think went through competitive bidding," he added.
Latest Stories
-
Baltasar Coin becomes first Ghanaian meme coin to hit DEX Screener at $100K market cap
25 minutes -
EC blames re-collation of disputed results on widespread lawlessness by party supporters
40 minutes -
Top 20 Ghanaian songs released in 2024
1 hour -
Beating Messi’s Inter Miami to MLS Cup feels amazing – Joseph Paintsil
1 hour -
NDC administration will reverse all ‘last-minute’ gov’t employee promotions – Asiedu Nketiah
1 hour -
Kudus sights ‘authority and kingship’ for elephant stool celebration
1 hour -
We’ll embrace cutting-edge technologies to address emerging healthcare needs – Prof. Antwi-Kusi
2 hours -
Nana Aba Anamoah, Cwesi Oteng special guests for Philip Nai and Friends’ charity event
2 hours -
Environmental protection officers receive training on how to tackle climate change
2 hours -
CLOGSAG vows to resist partisan appointments in Civil, Local Government Service
3 hours -
Peasant Farmers Association welcomes Mahama’s move to rename Agric Ministry
3 hours -
NDC grateful to chiefs, people of Bono Region -Asiedu Nketia
3 hours -
Ban on smoking in public: FDA engages food service establishments on compliance
3 hours -
Mahama’s administration to consider opening Ghana’s Mission in Budapest
3 hours -
GEPA commits to building robust systems that empower MSMEs
3 hours