In this instance, the former editor-in-chief of
The Ghanaian Chronicle personally appeared and testified at the SFO, and
is said to be bidding his time. Then, the other mysterious cessation of action
against Danny Ofori-Atta in the Capital Telecom fraud affair in which the paper
once again played a central role. Then other matters that the Chronicle is
studying.
About seven months ago, the SFO completed a
review of a multi-million dollar scandal that validated an earlier forensic
investigations, Messrs Databank and Enterprise Insurance Company. The paper has
learnt that the matter is in the process of being thrashed because of immense
pressure from key NPP majors.
However, minute transgressions of NDC men are
immediately leaked and the AG’s office moves to full prosecution. Last month
for example, Dr George Sipa Yankey, who is already standing trial over the
Quality Grain matter- another Chronicle investigation- was hauled before the
SFO to answer questions involving suspicious energy deals even when all
documentation indicated that Dr Yankey was not even working on that schedule at
the time.
His wife, an aggressive, steely housewife
berated the officials and steered her husband out of the door. The name of one
K. Nyantakyi, involved with the
The SFO review has been presented to the AG and
the report confirms an earlier Chronicle account of last year in which
Databank, Enterprise Insurance, Ekow Awoonor’s law consultancy and SSNIT were
cited.
The report is a damning indictment of Databank,
Enterprise Insurance Company (EIC), both companies owned principally by Ken
Ofori-Atta. A director of SSB Bank, Ekow Awoonor, with a previous criminal
conviction for a drug-related charge in the
A number of documents cited by the paper
concluded that indeed the project- ‘
The report confirmed the forensic report, which
states inter-alia: “In our estimation, SSNIT money was collected and used to
pay for the property plus allowances, commission and legal fees to so-called
developers who were also members of the company. Thereafter, SSNIT was
allocated 55 per cent shareholding and others who did not contribute a dime,
i.e., EIC and SSB Investments were allocated 42.5 per cent and 2.5 per
respectively.”
By a classic stroke of a criminal mind,
Databank which is a majority shareholder in Enterprise Insurance literally
appropriated 42 per cent in which they never paid a cent, though on paper, they
are listed to be paying $1.8m for the shares of Obotan. The estate was expected
to be built at Massilar House near the British High Commission along the
On top of that, SSNIT was ruthlessly raped
again because available documentary evidence shows that it paid EIC a brokerage
fee of $44,000. “We are at a loss as to what service was rendered by EIC in the
acquisition of the CFAO property (Massilar house) to warrant the payment of
such a fee.
By the beginning of the investigations, SFO
found that the four houses that constitute the Obotan project site was being
occupied by officials of Databank and other foreigners, but the electricity and
water bills were being paid by SSNIT.
Again, Ekow Awoonor representing SSB
Investments and secretary/director of Obotan Developers are said to have
presented incorrect information and should be prosecuted as well.
Inside sources close to SSNIT had backed the
SFO and forensic report suggesting that SSNIT had backed the SFO and forensic
report suggesting that SSNIT should recover the full amount plus an overpayment
of $594,000.
The ball is now in the court of Nana Akufo-Addo
the Attorney General, but deep disquiet has set in at SFO because word in the
corridors suggest that Akufo-Addo is reluctant to prosecute because he relates
Ofori-Atta, an issue that is receiving stiff opposition from SFO because they
have been prosecuting NDC men and may lose their credibility if no action is
taken.
The Ghanaian Chronicle has also learnt that the
Presidency is unaware of this problem even though Kufuor bears the brunt of
aspersions and insinuations when duplicity on the part of some members of the
government gets out. SSNIT is in the middle of pressing for refund of its
millions of dollars.
The criminal aspect of the case where Databank
is intensively lobbying to refund the funds instead of prosecution- an option
that has not been offered the NDC accused persons is an issue that is being
intensively debated.
It would be recalled that in early last year, The
Ghanaian Chronicle published a story about the
He complained that he was not contacted but the
paper’s forensic auditors sources explained that they were able to gather
information they wanted from Awoonor. But not satisfied, he filed a petition to
the president over what he perceived as injustices. Databank bosses refused to
talk to the paper, including the questionnaire support to upon request. – The
Ghanaian Chronicle
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Speaking to The Evening News in
Outlining other areas of reform in the Police
Service, Nana Owusu-Nsiah disclosed that this year, the service would tackle
the problem of accommodation which he noted had not been the best. The IGP
mentioned communication equipment and Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) as other areas that would be improved.
The Police Service, he said, would be
computerised so that information could be easily accessed from all the
country’s police stations. “This is to ensure that information is also readily
available at all time.”
On training, Nana Owusu-Nsiah said the service
was determined to improve upon the efficiency of personnel so that they would
be abreast with modern trends and skills. In this regard, more programmes would
be organised for personnel periodically.
Concerning the present training programme which
trains personnel to be deployed on UN peacekeeping missions, organised by the
British High Commission, Nana Owusu-Nsiah said it was aimed at promoting the
sharing of ideas among personnel in the sub-region.
The IGP said participants also shared practical
experiences which would enrich their cultural awareness. According to him, the
participants needed those experiences so that they could work in countries like
Earlier in his address to close the course for
regional police, “train the trainers course”, the Deputy Minister of the
Interior, Kwadwo Asiedu Afram, said training was considered as one of the most
critical elements in the life of any institution. “Through training one is able
to acquire the skills necessary for the performance of one’s duties,” he
stressed.
The Deputy Minister announced that discussions
were ongoing for the training of traners who would shape the minds of recruits
into the Ghana Police Service.
On his part, the British High Commissioner, Dr
Rod Pullen, said the course was the sixth of the Civil Police (CIVPOL) Training
Courses. He said the CIVPOL courses followed a report on United Nations Peace
Operations by a Senior UN Official, Brahimi.
According to the High Commissioner, the
“Brahim” report highlighted among others, the importance of member states to
cooperate on regional training initiatives. – The Evening News
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Accra (Greater Accra) 11 March 2003 – Justice Emile Short, Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has stated that politics of exclusion and xenophobia are partly responsible for the conflicts in the West African sub-region.
“When people are excluded
from the political or decision-making system of their country, they will become
aggrieved and resort to violence as a last resort,” he said. Justice Short said
this in an interview with the “Times” after opening a three-day workshop on
human rights.
The forum was to provide a
platform for the participants to identify and develop strategic relationships
with colleagues of the United Nations (UN) family, local and regional partners.
They will also use African such as NEPAD and the Bamako and Cotonou Initiatives
on democracy to promote sub-regional involvement in mainstreaming human rights.
Justice Short explained that
“xenophobia creates friction and tension in a country,” adding that conflicts
would ensue when the rights of minorities were not respected and they were not
allowed to participate fully in the affairs of the nation.
He asked African leaders to
recognise that the issue of political inclusion was central to peace and
stability and should, therefore, be taken seriously. Effective participation of
all stakeholders in countries should also be incorporated in the political,
economic and social aspects of the countries for harmonious development, he
advised. – The Ghanaian Times
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