I was told to pay $20,000 bribe to Asenso-Boakye for access to Akufo-Addo – Businessman alleges

The Chief Executive Officer of Alafei Food, Claude Convincer Davit, has accused Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Works and Housing of Ghana, of demanding a $20,000 bribe in return for an audience with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Francis Asenso-Boakye

The allegation, dating back to 2017, insinuates the existence of possible corruption within Ghana’s political elites, casting a shadow of doubt over the integrity of the nation’s political processes.

Davit claimed that during Asenso-Boakye’s tenure as the deputy chief of staff, he approached the presidency for a loan guarantee under the One District, One Factory initiative but was informed that access to the president required payment of the alleged bribe, which he refused to pay.

Narrating how Asenso-Boakye demanded the money from him, he said “I recount my own visit to Flagstaff House on December 26, 2017, in which the president’s nephew or cousin, Asenso, who was one of two deputy chiefs of staff, solicited a $20,000 bride in order to either gain access to the president or for further favourable action on the appeal, which I was delivering on behalf of the company, which was a guarantee for a loan by the Exim Bank of Ghana for a One District, One Factory loan from a Ghanaian bank,” he narrated.

The CEO further claimed that Iddrisu Sunday, the then-Northern Regional First Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), was the one who prepared him for the bribe and told him about it.

The companies that I worked with are Yendi’s nominee for One District, One Factory. The circumstances of this solicitation of a bribe were that the 1st Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party in the Northern Region, Alhaji Sunday, had taken me to the Flagstaff House, and he had prepared me by having that same conversion about 3 or 4 times, informing me basically what would happen.

“We would probably meet with Asenso, we wouldn’t meet with the president himself. And that Asenso had the power to even override the president’s favour… Alhaji Sunday made it clear that Asenso’s word was final,” he said.

Davit indicated that, following a meeting with the President, approval was granted for the loan guarantee for the One District, One Factory project.

Subsequently, he alleged that NPP Vice Chairman Asenso-Boakye demanded a $20,000 bribe, which he declined to pay. Davit asserted that, despite refusing the bribe, Asenso provided a note directing the Ministry of Trade and Industry to submit the final agreement for his approval.

As Davit did not comply with the alleged bribe request, no further action was taken on the sought loan guarantee.