It is disheartening to hear reports that Bulk Energy Storage and Transportation Limited Company (BOST), purchased in May 2022, 18 pieces of iPhone (13 pro max) for its cooperate executives to provide them with “secured logistics to boost work efficiency”.
BOST was incorporated in 1993 as a fully owned Government company and tasked with the management of the business of storage and transmission of fuel, focusing on excellence in security, safety and profitability.
Center for Democracy and Socioeconomic Development (CDS Africa) commends BOST for the turn around in its profits these past few years after several years of losses. However, it is still prudent to question the rationale in procuring iPhones for executives who, by virtue of their positions, should be financially capable of affording the latest smartphones themselves at the expense of the taxpayer and an ailing company.
In a statement issued by BOST on October 1 2023, the company explained that there were typographical errors that led to significant discrepancies in the actual expenditures incurred on the phones and which caused the unnecessary alarm. According to BOST, the total cost of the phones was GHS234,000.00, grossed up for taxes at GHS285,412.16.
It is imperative that BOST makes its original financial books public to dispel any suspicions and provide clarity on the true amount spent on these mobile phones. Transparency in financial reporting is not only a matter of good governance but also a means to build trust with stakeholders and the public to help dispel perceptions of corruption.
BOST also explained that the procurement of the gadgets which has special security features was to support and protect BOST's data from cyberattacks. This explanation is considered quiet untenable and a clear indication of misplaced priorities
CDS Africa acknowledges the immense importance of data security, however, any well-meaning Ghanaian with a smartphone knows there are numerous ways to safeguard sensitive information without resorting to the purchase of 18 new iPhones. There are proven and more cost-effective measures, such as robust cybersecurity protocols, regular software updates, and staff training on data protection which could have been employed to fortify the organization against cyber threats.
The foregoing notwithstanding, the broader issue at hand is one of accountability and prudence in the public sector. Executives of public sector entities must be diligent stewards of the resources entrusted to them, especially when those resources come from the limited public purse.
