STOP THE E-POLICING PROJECT BEING PILOTED BY KOJO GRAHAM’S COMPANY – CVM DEMANDS

A political pressure group, Concerned Voters Movement (CVM) is calling for the cancellation of a pilot project, Electronic Policing (e-policing), being undertaken by Vas-Intel, a company owned by Kojo Graham and his partners Stratom Inc. for the Ghana Police Service.

Mr. David Asante-Apeatu, IGP
The group says it finds the this pilot arrangement between Ghana Police Service, Vas-Intel and Stratom problematic after the piloting, there is high possibility that the Ghana Police Service may award the contract to Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham and his partner, Stratom under sole sourcing at the detriment of potential companies who will have an interest in such project.

At a press conference in Accra, CVM’s Founder and President, Mr. Razak Kojo Opoku, says Vas-Intel and Stratom cannot use their resources for piloting and be ignored at the end of the day.

The system is being piloted in 26 police stations in Accra and Tema and once it is fully operational, was expected to create a seamless integration of police efforts across the country.

This means that the Ghana Police Service shall be using electronic means to take complaints, writing statements, verifying fingerprints, and all entries in CID forms shall be digital beginning with the 26 pilot Police stations in Accra and Tema, and the CID Headquarter.

24news.news reproduces the full statement of CVM below:

CVM is calling for the cancellation of Kojo Graham VAS-INTEL Pilot Project for the Ghana Police Service

CVM is appealing to the Minister of Interior, National Security Minister, Procurement Minister and the Police Council of Ghana to intervene and cancel the Pilot Project undertaking by Kojo Graham VAS-INTEL and Stratom for the Ghana Police Service.

We are fully aware that Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham together with his partners such as Stratom Inc., a USA based Company and the Department of Computer Engineering of the School of Engineering Sciences of the University of Ghana are the group doing the Electronic Policing(e Policing) Pilot Project for the Ghana Police Service.

The system is being piloted in 26 police stations in Accra and Tema and once it is fully operational, was expected to create a seamless integration of police efforts across the country. This means that the Ghana Police Service shall be using electronic means to take complaints, writing statements, verifying fingerprints, and all entries in CID forms shall be digital beginning with the 26 pilot Police stations in Accra and Tema, and the CID Headquarter.

We are told by the Ghana Police Service that the Piloting is FREE, absolutely at no cost and that the Ghana Police Service has not yet sign any contract with the Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham, Stratom Inc. and the Department of Computer Engineering of the School of Engineering Sciences of the University of Ghana BUT the most important question CVM is asking the Ghana Police Service is that, will the Ghana Police Service award the contract to Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham and Stratom Inc after the successful completion of the Piloting at the 26 Police Stations in Accra and Tema? because there is nothing like Free Launch in this world.

CVM find this Pilot arrangement between Ghana Police Service, VAS-INTEL and Stratom very problematic due to the following reasons:

After the Piloting of the Project, there is high possibility that the Ghana Police Service may award the contract to Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham and his partner, Stratom under sole sourcing at the detriment of potential companies who will have an interest in such project. Vas-Intel and Stratom cannot use their resources for Piloting and be ignore at the end of the day.
The Ghana Police Service erred in carrying out such a laudable initiative. This is because irrespective of being Piloting or not, the Ghana Police Service should have open tender for all interested companies to partake in the Piloting Project at different Police Stations and at the end of Piloting, at least the Country can settle on the Company with the best package. There was no advertisement inviting applications for such Piloting.
The Data Protection Commission was not consulted by the Ghana Police Service when they gave the green light to the Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham and his partner, Stratom to carry out such Piloting at the 26 Police Stations in Tema and Accra.
The Procurement Minister and Public Procurement Authority were not notify before the Vas-Intel owned by Kojo Graham and his partner, Stratom carried out the Piloting at the 26 Police Stations in Tema and Accra.
Ghanaians have being kept in the dark, we don’t know the nature of the contract to be awarded for the ePolicing whether PPP or Private Managed. Ghana Police Service should tread consciously because this is the Security Data of the Nation we are talking about.
We hope that the Minister of Interior, National Security Minister, Procurement Minister and the Police Council of Ghana would intervene and ensure that competitive biddingis open for all companies who are interested in such Project to also undertake the Piloting so that the Country can have value for money.

…….Signed……

RazakKojoOpoku

CVM Founder & President

GhanaPoliticsonline.com