The Vice President's Office has indicated that it did not endorse a move by James Keck Osei, an aggrieved Civil Servant at the Office, to clear imported containers of rice for Ramadan donations.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is now in court with Mr James Keck Osei, a deputy director in charge of Administration in the Vice President's Office, and three other individuals for failing to declare their sources of income and assets.
On April 27, 2022, Mr. James Keck Osei sent an unlawful letter to the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) requesting assistance in clearing fifteen containers of rice.
He informed the GRA that the Vice President's Office need the rice containers for the Ramadan festivities.
Following the Ghana Revenue Authority's (GRA) answer to his letter, which informed him that another individual had placed a claim to the 15 containers of rice, James Keck Osei filed another letter on July 5, 2022, retracting his previous request.
A statement signed by Secretary to the Vice President Augustine Blay said the request made to the GRA by Mr James Keck Osei was false and did not have the approval of the office as it states that "It is ONLY the Secretary to the Vice President who is mandated to write letters on behalf of the Office of the Vice President and Mr. Osei did not have any such authority".
It further stated that “In September 2022, it came to the attention of the Office of the Vice President that Mr.
James Keck Osei has been invited to the Special Prosecutor's Office to help in an investigation involving rice importation.
The Vice President's Office was pleased with the Special Prosecutor's decision to continue its investigation into the case, which resulted in a decision made on Friday, 10th February 2023, that Mr Osei has been arraigned to appear in court on Monday, 13th February 2023′′.
Meanwhile, the Chief Director at the President's Office has launched an investigation into the situation in accordance with Civil Service norms.