Further investigations by The Daily Dispatch into the on-going $8 million (?72 billion) business transaction between the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and SIMNET Ghana Limited has let the ?cat out of the bag? with new details provided by more patriotic Ghanaians, aided by luck and the fear of causing financial loss to the State The Daily Dispatch can today reveal that some officials within SSNIT and the Board of Directors were allegedly swayed by ?rumour? that President John Agyekum Kufour had given ?unofficial approval? to the SSNIT/SIMNET deal.
Those were lies perpetuated by those commonly known as Influence Peddlers (IPS).
SSNIT was said to be paying nearly US$3 million (over ?27 billion) more than the valuers? assessment. However, a credible source within SSNIT management has said that there is no way they will tell the public how much it will be paying for SIMNET and its decision to run lottery.
The greatest exposure of how a few highly placed people at the Castle and within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have been putting pressure to bear on SSNIT was revealed by one of these IPs, who would be known as lobbyists in the United States.
This is a summary of what the person said, ?I heard of this SSNIT SIMNET deal nearly a year ago. My first reaction was, how will the average Ghanaian react to news that SSNIT will be dabbling in the lottery business? Later, the ?goalpost? was shifted that SSNIT would like to take advantage of SIMNET?s extensive networks in Ghana. I made enquiries within the management of SSNIT and its Board of Directors; I was shocked at what I found out.
Certain highly placed people at the Castle and within the NPP had floated the rumour that His Excellence the President, John Agyekum Kufuor had given his ?blessing? to SSNIT buying SIMNET at a certain price.?
Source: GhanaWeb
