PRESIDENT John Dramani Mahama’s “Reset Ghana” agenda is facing its first challenge at the Volta River Authority (VRA), as tensions rise over the continued leadership of Ing. Edward Ekow Obeng-Kenzo.
Ing. Kenzo, who is currently acting as Chief Executive of the VRA, is under pressure from within the organisation and from some senior members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to these critics, Ing. Kenzo has strong ties to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and should not be leading one of Ghana’s most critical power institutions under a new NDC government.
The opposition to his leadership is not only political. Some insiders and staff allege that Kenzo has been involved in several cases of procurement irregularities, poor management decisions, and politically motivated appointments.
They argued that these actions, could threaten the success of the Reset Agenda and the morale of the NDC’s base.
A group known as the New Voter Forum (NVF), which includes some NDC members, has issued a warning that retaining Ing. Kenzo could send the wrong message to party supporters, and risk the credibility of the administration’s pledge to clean up governance in key institutions.
Documents and internal communications cited by the group reportedly point to questionable contracts and inflated prices. One of the biggest issues raised is a US52 million sole-sourcing deal allegedly involving Kenzo and former VRA CEO, Ing. Antwi Darkwa. Other contracts with companies like IDC Energy Ltd, Fosap Logistics, and Synho Hydro have also come under scrutiny.
Some of the more troubling allegations include a steam turbine rotor bearing that was reportedly purchased at more than seven times its actual market value, and the procurement of a condenser ten years ahead of when it would be needed.
Another example is the Takoradi T3 plant repowering project, which reportedly jumped from under US15 million to over US70 million. A separate US19 million contract to Synho Hydro for work at Akosombo and Kpong power stations is also being questioned.
Critics are calling for a full forensic audit of VRA’s procurement and financial records, and some are demanding Kenzo’s immediate replacement to restore public confidence.
While Ing. Edward Ekow Obeng-Kenzo has yet to respond publicly to the claims, the matter is quickly becoming a litmus test for the Mahama administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and real change under the Reset Ghana agenda.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
