The Accra Digital Centre (ADC) has been ordered to evict occupants of the facility who sublet their space to other businesses for a fee.
The practice, according to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, was in breach of the tenancy agreement between the centre and the tenant engaged in the act, hence the need for eviction from the facility.
This came to light yesterday when the management of the Accra Digital Centre appeared before the committee to respond to some findings contained in the 2021 Auditor General’s report.
The report found that the Ghana Innovation Hub which was one of the tenants of the Accra Digital Centre had rented out part of its space to some businesses at a commercial rate, above the fee paid to secure the facility from the centre.
“We noted that Ghana Innovation Hub is one of the tenants of ADC who benefits from the highly subsidised rent rate of $8 per square meter per month and occupy 650 square meters.
Contrary to the Terms of the Tenancy Agreements, our checks indicated that the Company sublets part of their allocated (office space) at a commercial rate (above the rate the company paid to ADC) to the public,” the report stated.
Member of the committee, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, in a remarks, said such an illegal practice by any of the occupants constituted a breach of agreement which consequentially denies the country of much-needed revenue.
He urged the centre and other state institutions to be wary of such practices and act according to provisions of the law to protect state interest and also enable the institution’s efforts to enhance revenue.
“This committee also exist to educate the public on what our laws say. This is one of those practices that the law mandates the centre, as the landlord to evict whoever that’s in breach of the agreement. We encourage the management of the centre to apply such decisions to deter others from doing so,” he added.
Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Digital Centre, said in response to the act and recommendations by the Auditor General, the contract between the centre and the Ghana Innovation Hub had been reviewed, adding that the centre had put in place mechanisms to prevent future occurrence of the practice.
On concerns about property insurance, he stated that, the centre engaged the services of an insurance broker to assess the facility and insure it subsequently.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Post Company Limited was in the process of developing a Scheme of Service to guide recruitment and management of staff.
The Scheme of Service is a management tool crafted to provide a coherent framework to facilitate the recruitment, development and career progression of the staff in public institutions.
Managing Director of Ghana Post, Bice Osei-Kufour, speaking at PAC sitting, said the scheme, would provide guidelines for the promotion of staff of the Company and set out their roles and responsibilities.
The absence of Scheme of Service, which was cited in the 2021 Auditor General’s report, had resulted in some staff occupying the same rank for about 10 years
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
