The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to release its long-awaited report on the 2015 fire that ravaged Ghana’s Central Medical Stores (CMS) in Tema.
The devastating blaze destroyed medical supplies worth an estimated GH¢273 million, including critical stock funded by international partners, and has led to ongoing concerns over accountability.
At a press conference led by ASEPA’s Executive Director, Mensah Thompson, the civil society organization demanded transparency and swift legal action against those allegedly responsible for the fire.
Mr. Thompson highlighted that EOCO's investigation, launched in 2018, reportedly confirmed earlier findings implicating twelve individuals, among them Caleb Romeo Kofi Tetteh, former CMS Head of Procurement and now a chief in Yilo Krobo.
According to ASEPA, Tetteh, despite being implicated, was not only spared prosecution but was subsequently promoted within the Ministry of Health, later becoming involved in the contentious 2020 Sputnik V vaccine procurement scandal.
ASEPA argued that releasing the EOCO report and prosecuting the indicted individuals are essential steps to restore trust with international donors, including the US and UK governments, who have repeatedly called for accountability since the CMS incident.
The organization also pushed for the disclosure of findings from the Sputnik V investigation, urging the media to keep these issues in the public eye.
“Ghanaians deserve transparency and accountability on matters that affect public trust, especially when taxpayer funds and international aid are involved,” Thompson stated, stressing the urgency of public disclosure and prosecution.
ASEPA's renewed call for action underlines the importance of ensuring justice, both for the CMS fire and related procurement scandals, to maintain credibility with Ghana’s development partners.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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