GRi Press Review 13 – 05 - 2003
I didn’t take part in march – Gizo
Government is committed to single figure inflation
“Don’t paint projects in party colours”
Government rallies development partners
Bill against money laundering in the offing
“Enforce women’s rights effectively”
Peprah in hot soup: over Presidential jet deal
We will smoke them out – COCOBOD declares
Government won’t shield anyone – Dr Anane
Lawyer challenges law on causing financial loss
We will bribe electorate, if... – Jake
7 forest looters on the run
I didn’t take part in march – Gizo
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - Even though managers of the recent NDC's 'March
for survival' sought to create the erroneous impression that they were able to
summon all their MPs to take part in the event and to pat each others' back
that all hurdles in the way of peace in the divided political association, have
been cleared, the Accra Daily Mail (ADM) newspaper has stumbled upon evidence
to the contrary- a big name in the party did not take part in the march.
At
the graduation ceremony to sign off 146 pupils of the Association International
School, the Hon. Mike Gizo maintaining a low profile was spotted by the
headmistress, Mrs. Nancy Hooper Poku who called him to come and present
certificates to the graduating students, one of who incidentally was his son.
When
ADM caught up with him after he had taken his seat away from the high table,
still maintaining his low profile, he said he felt good seeing his child finish
JSS.
On
the recent 'March for survival' Mike Gizo told ADM that he was away in his
constituency of Shai Osudoku within the Greater Accra Region at the time of the
march doing constituency work.
For
a man of Mike's caliber not finding it necessary to postpone whatever he had to
do in his constituency for a 'march for survival' speaks volumes about the
state of affairs in the NDC. His personal rating for the demonstration was no
doubt extremely low. This gives another dimension to the march, which according
to popular lore was attended by NDC MPs.
Only
two of them were in parliament that day. The others, like Mike Gizo, could have
been simply tending their constituencies. Mike Gizo is one of the outspoken MPs
in the NDC who Rawlings and his loyal followers would want "punished"
for what some of them regard as flirtation with the NPP.
During
his press conference at his residence Rawlings asked those about to leave the
NDC to do so before he kicks them out. Gizo is widely seen as one of those
being shown the exit.
But
Gizo's position of "Ghana First" remains unshaken and was
practicalised when he recently accepted a government offer to serve on the
Board of a major state institution. This attracted the umbrage of Rawlings and
some of his diehard loyalists.
Recently
Gizo's wife in reaction to attacks from the NDC retorted that there are no men
with balls in the party. The implication of this reaction was that the top
echelon of the party is made up of men who are unable to stand up to the
actions of the "founder" who is widely known for his dictatorial
mindset.
Gizo,
like his colleague Kofi Asante, who resigned his NDC seat two months ago seems
to be doing fine in his new robe of political radical. His ability to weather
the storm prompted by his rare action no doubt underscores his strength of
character and his readiness to stand up to any challenges from any quarter of
the NDC.
Mike's
problem with his party's "founder" had been simmering for sometime
but his association with the Dr. Kwesi Botchwey during the party's vexed
congress of last year blew the lid off! That is why he said, no, thank you, to
the so-called march for survival. – Accra Daily Mail
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Government is committed to single figure inflation
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - The government is determined to achieve a single
digit inflation by the close of next year, despite the recent general price
increase, which was precipitated by the increase in petroleum products.
The
government is currently targeting 22 per cent inflation at the end of the year.
The current rate of inflation stands at 29.9 per cent. Dr Samuel Nii Noi
Ashong, Minister of State in charge of Finance and Economic Planning, in an
interview, said to forestall the unexpected economic imbalance, the government
will observe prudent fiscal policies such as avoiding arrears in domestic
borrowing.
He
said these arrears have the potential of choking the system, as they lock up
the capital of organisations and individuals. Dr Ashong, who is also an
economic policy analyst, said the government will make effective use of the
HIPC fund by channelling it into viable and productive projects throughout the
country, to benefit the people.
He
pointed out that increase in wages and salaries without a corresponding
increase in production will lead to higher inflation figures, which work
against economic growth and development.
The
deputy minister said the trigger of inflation in February was due to a number
of factors such as the inability of the donor community to disburse a $75m loan
facility it had committed itself to at the fourth quarter of last year.
This
was due mainly to the inability of Ghana to complete and submit in time the
costed Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) document to the World Bank last
year.
He
said the payment of additional duty hours to health workers and pay increases
for teachers as well as government domestic borrowing are some of the factors
that conspired to unleash the pressure on the economy.
He
said the fourth quarter of last year also saw a lot of liquidity activities,
including the release of funds for cocoa purchases, saying "all these
impacted in February, creating a huge jam". He said the government is
embarking on a public sector management, which entails the government collaborating
with the Bank of Ghana and the Controller and Accountant General's Department
to ensure that at any given point, funds are only released for projects that
government has identified as productive and committed itself to.
He
said to ensure the achievement of a single digit inflation as envisaged in the
2003 budget, the government is taking pragmatic steps to control expenditure
during the election year.
"In
a way, it is senseless to pump money into the economy during an election, mess
up the economy and spend time to repair it if you are lucky to inherit
it", saying the government will endear itself to the best economic
practices during such times.
He
said this will be supported by donor inflows, following the completion of the
costing of the GPRS as well as putting a lid on central bank borrowing, adding
that due to the massive economic activities associated with elections, all the
difficult choices are being made now to bring about less liquidity activity in
the coming year. - Graphic
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“Don’t paint projects in party colours”
Odumase-Krobo
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Manya
Krobo, Andrews K. Teye, has asked Members of Parliament in the district to
desist from painting projects executed with funds from their share of the
Common Fund in their party colours.
He
said such a practice causes political disaffection not only for the district
assembly but also for central government.
The
DCE who made the observation at the third ordinary meeting of the assembly at
Odumase-Krobo at the weekend, said projects such as markets and lorry parks are
properties of the assembly and that any MP who intends to fund them with his or
her share of the Common Fund must seek approval from the assembly.
He
said under no circumstance should the MP inscribe his name on the project or
paint it with the colours of his or her political party.
Teye
said the MP’s share of the Common Fund is not his personal money but part of
the taxpayer’s money and that the practice where MPs demand their share of the
Common Fund only to be used in utter disregard for the procedures must cease.
The
DCE said the assembly received only the first quarter of the 2002 Common Fund
of ˘635,270,602 and called on the assembly to see how best to generate revenue
from other sources to carry out its projects.
With
regard to the Poverty Alleviation Loan Scheme, he observed that out of the ˘300
million disbursed, only ˘91m has been paid back and called on beneficiaries to
repay the loan in order not to frustrate or defeat the purpose for which the
scheme was instituted.
On
the President’s Special Initiative on cassava, the DCE said the assembly has
already cultivated 50 acres of the tuber and that currently 150 acres are under
cultivation. He thanked the traditional council for donating more than 300
acres for the project at Okwenya.
To
facilitate transportation on the Volta Lake, the DCE disclosed that
negotiations are afoot between the assembly and Merchant Bank Ghana Limited to
operate a pontoon at Akateng.
In
another development, the DCE described as false a Radio Gold report of
Wednesday 7 May, to the effect that there was a demonstration against him at
Odumase-Krobo.
According
to the radio station, the youth demonstrated against the DCE for being inactive
and frustrating the District Circuit Court.
The
DCE said nobody or group of persons had demonstrated against him and that the
reports on radio stations only sought to throw dust into the eyes of the public
and cause trouble in the area. - Graphic
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Government rallies development partners
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - Government said on Monday it needed the support
of all its partners to achieve a real GDP growth rate of at least 4.7 per cent
from last year's 4.5 per cent.
This
is also necessary to achieve an inflation figure of below 10 per cent by end of
2004 from the 15.2 per cent posted at the end of last year.
"We
need the support of both bilateral and multilateral development partners to
achieve these targets," Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance and Economic
Planning said in a speech read for him in Accra.
He
was speaking at the start of bilateral negotiations between the government of
Ghana and the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development.
Osafo-Maafo
said overall government budget deficit was also expected to be equivalent to
3.6 per cent of GDP with domestic primary budget surplus of 3.0 per cent of
GDP. The rebuilding of gross official reserves holdings would be equivalent to
2.3 months of imports of goods and services.
The
two-day negotiations would assess on-going German assisted programmes and
projects throughout the country and adjustments made if necessary to achieve
the intended objectives.
Financial
commitments would also be made during the negotiations for ongoing and new
programmes and projects including the multi-donor budget support programme.
Osafo-Maafo
said Ghana was committed to a systematic reduction of poverty through the
implementation of the Ghana Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy, which had
the "ultimate goal of achieving broad-based and sustainable equitable
growth, accelerated poverty reduction and protection of the vulnerable and
excluded".
He
put expenditure for basic services, and income generation activities for the
poor in 2002 at ˘2.7bn. "About 75 per cent of that allocation was spent on
basic human development services including primary health care, basic
education, and the provision of safe drinking water."
The
talks would also touch on agriculture and food security, economic reforms and
market economy as well as democracy, civil society and public administration.
Mrs
Gudrun Grosse-Wisemann, Director, Africa and the Middle East of the German
Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, who led the German
delegation, said poverty reduction was the overarching goal of German
Development Cooperation as laid out in the Action Programme of 2015 adopted by
the German government two years ago. – Graphic
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Bill against money laundering in the offing
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - A draft bill that seeks to address the
devastating economic, security and social consequences of money laundering is
soon to be submitted to the Minister of Finance for processing.
The
anti-money laundering bill, which is the brainchild of the Bank of Ghana, the
Committee for Co-operation between Law Enforcement Agencies and Banking
Communities (COCLAB) and some local institutions was prepared with input from
the US State Department, the United Kingdom Financial Services Authority and
the International Monetary Fund.
Dr
Paul Acquah, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana disclosed this at a two-day
seminar on Economic and Financial Fraud and Computer Crime in Accra on Monday.
About
forty participants drawn from the banks, security services and financial
institutions in the country are attending the seminar organized by the National
Banking College and AITEC to sharpen their awareness in investigating and
preventing white-collar crime.
Dr
Acquah said white-collar crime was a major challenge to the economic
development efforts since it increased a country's risk profile, translating
into higher costs of doing business with various institutions in the
international community.
It
as well has security implications, which influenced needed foreign exchange
inflows through the tourism business. The Governor said because of the serious
implications of economic and financial crime on a nation, efforts should be
made to stem them before they go beyond control.
He
called for inter-institutional support and co-operation, particularly among
institutions in areas of compliance, monitoring, investigation, prosecution and
enforcement.
Dr
Paul Acquah said the BOG as part of measures to ensure the safety, soundness
and stability in the banking and financial system, had directed all banks to
put in place adequate policies, practices and procedures to prevent the banking
system from being used for international economic crimes.
All
the banks, according to the Central Bank directive were to put in place,
"know your customer programmes with focus on customer acceptance policy,
customer identification, risk management and on-going monitoring of high risk
accounts.
Besides,
the banks were also required to report cases of fraud and other financial
crimes to the Banking Supervision Department of the BOG for action.
Dr
Acquah suggested the importance for individuals to channel all transactions
through accredited financial institutions, and avoid using informal sector
operations as a vehicle as well as collaborate with security agencies to ensure
successful arrest and prosecution of fraudsters.
Mrs.
Adelaide Benneh, Director of the National Banking College, said growth in the
use of the Internet was making it easier for cyber fraudsters to dupe people,
necessitating aggressive policies to protect consumers. She urged participants
to take the seminar seriously and design innovative strategies to fight the
menace. – Graphic
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“Enforce women’s rights effectively”
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - The President of Women in Law and Development in
Africa (WiLDAF), Ghana, Mrs Elizabeth Q. Akpalu, has called for the redoubling
of efforts at sensitising judicial and law enforcement agencies to enable them
to respect and enforce women’s rights effectively.
She
noted that the formulation of legislation and policies will come to naught if
victims and the actors who intervene in women’s rights issues are not
adequately resourced.
Mrs
Akpalu disclosed this in an interview after the opening of a workshop organised
by WiLDAF on the sensitisation and capacity building of judicial and extra
judicial actors on women’s rights issues in Accra yesterday.
The
five-day workshop being attended by over 30 judges and lawyers is aimed at
sensitising and reinforcing the capacities of magistrates, judges, lawyers and
law enforcement agencies to enable them to respect and enforce women’s rights
better.
Mrs
Akpalu noted that although some feats have been attained in recent past in the
country on the recognition and the implementation of women’s rights, some law
enforcement agencies and members of the Judiciary have failed to appreciate why
they should assist women to seek their rights.
She
said WiLDAF is of the view that if people, especially community leaders and
professionals, are fairly educated on the need to recognise the rights of women
as natural rights, it will go a long way towards minimising the incidence of
such abuses.
She
stated that the participants are expected to become trainers and resource persons
to their colleagues by sharing with them the information and knowledge they
will acquire on women’s rights issues.
Mrs
Akpalu advised that since the least abuse of any woman will have great
repercussions on both the economy as well as the family, no maltreatment of
women or the infringement on their rights should be treated as a family matter,
rather the perpetrators must be brought to book to serve as deterrent to
others.
Mrs
Dorcas Coker-Appiah, National Co-ordinator for Legal Awareness Programme of
WiLDAF, advised lawyers and judges to apply some of the international
conventions to which Ghana is a signatory to supplement national laws and
legislations concerning women rights.
She
cited the International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of
Discrimination against Women, which she said can be of tremendous assistance in
adjudication of women issues.
She
appealed to magistrates and judges not to hesitate to remind lawyers and
prosecutors of the relevant portions of the law that can be of great benefit to
their cases during trials.
Picture
caption: Mrs Elizabeth Akpalu (right), President of WiLDAF, having discussions
with Naa Tsetse Agyeman IV (middle), Otublohum Dzanwe Manye and Mrs Joana
Foster, Chairperson of the African Women Development Fund, during coffee break.
– Graphic
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Peprah in hot soup: over Presidential jet deal
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - Even before he gets used to his new environment,
Richard Kwame Peprah, the former Minister of Finance, under the out-gone
National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, may soon have to face a
number of fresh queries from investigators concerning the mode of acquisition
of a Gulf Stream Jet GIII aircraft for use as a presidential jet in Ghana.
Amongst
others, the former Minister would be asked why he chose to go for a lease
agreement that caused Ghana so much instead of going for an outright purchase
as money for the purchase of the Gulfstream Jet GIII aircraft had already been
made available.
This
was made known to Daily Guide when its scouts chanced upon an audit report
dated 24 February 2003 and signed by the Auditor-General, Edward Dua Agyeman.
The report is copied to the office of the President, the Attorney-General and
Minister of Justice, the Hon Senior Minister, Minister of Finance and the
Minister of Defence.
The
report raised a number of questions, on the purchase and lease of the aircraft,
how laid-down parliamentary regulations were flouted, and how the Bank of Ghana
(BOG), the Auditor-General and other arms of government, were ignored in the
Sales Agreement of the Gulfstream Jet GIII aircraft and its acquisition.
Transfer
from Peacekeeping Accounts According to the Audit report, it observed that
total transfer of US$11,450,000 was made between September, 1998 and April 1999
from the Ghana Armed Forces (GMA) peacekeeping Dollar accounts in New York
toward the acquisition of the aircraft, Gulfstream GIII with serial No. SN493,
as a result of directives issued by the Ministry of Finance.
“In
connection with the above, we noted that in April 1999, two transfers of
US$14,500,000 and US$1,500,000 were made by the Treasury, Ghana Mission to the
UN, New York from GMA (Ghana Armed Forces) peacekeeping account No.
033-1-241232 in favour of HSBC Investment Bank plc, Project and reference
Gallen Ltd”, noted the Auditor-General.
The
Report observed that the transfers were based on fixed instructions given by
the Controller and Account-General in his letters No. A6006/SF.11/Vol.2 of 23rd
and 29 April 1999 addressed to the Treasury Officer.
The
Auditor-General’s Report said: “Our review disclosed that the Controller and
Account-General attached letter No. MOF/PSFI/GEN/72 of 22 April 1999 addressed
to him by the Minister of Finance and copied to the Director, Foreign Operations
Department, Bank of Ghana to support the telex instructions he issued to the
Treasury Officer for the transfer to be effected.
The
text of the letter issued by the Minister of Finance in his letter to the
Controller and Accountant-General was as follows: “The Hong Kong Shanghai
Banking Corporation (HSBC) of the UK has agreed to provide to the Government of
Ghana budgetary support for the 1999 financial year.
To
enable us to receive this support, we are required to set up an account with
HSBC and transfer thereinto an amount to securitise the support. Accordingly,
you will recall that upon our request, you transferred the sums of US$250,000
and US$1.250.800. You are hereby further requested to transfer the sum of
US$14,500,000 and US$1,500,000 to the account, the details of which are as
follows:
Bank:
Bank of America NT & SA. New York: Account Name: Midland Bank Plc; Account
Number: 6550261045: Favour Of: HSBC
Investment Bank plc Project and Export Finance Account No. 36677449; Reference:
Gallen Ltd.
The
amount should be charged to Account No. 370-000-000-41—000 (Adjustment to
Investments Cost). By copy of this letter, the Director, Foreign Operations
Department of the Bank of Ghana is being requested to affect the necessary
transfer. – Daily Guide
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We will smoke them out – COCOBOD declares
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 The Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) has launched an
investigation to identify the Local Buying Company (LBC) which paid fake
currency notes to certain cocoa farmers in the Eastern Region.
It
said it has the full list of all the LBCs in the Adwafo, Chia, Tachiman and
Akokoaso areas of the region and will collaborate with the security agencies to
expose those behind the deal.
Ken
Brew, the Deputy Director in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, who disclosed
this in an interview, said the board takes a serious view of the matter and
will ensure that appropriate sanctions are taken against those involved.
He
was reacting to a Daily Graphic front-page report of Saturday 10 May, about
some cocoa farmers in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region who became
victims of fake currency operators.
The
issue was raised on the floor of Parliament when Dr W.B. Akoto, Member of
Parliament (MP) for Birim North told the House that within a period of two
weeks, a number of cocoa farmers have realised that most of the ˘20,000 notes
used in paying them were fake ones.
The
MP said the Ofoaso Police had retrieved more than ˘1m of these fake notes.
Brew
said although no farmer has lodged a formal complaint with it, the Cocobod is
conducting investigations to ensure that such a thing does not happen again.
He
said if identified, the Cocobod will use the money which would have been paid
to the LBC involved to settle the affected farmers. He asked the farmers to
co-operate with the investigators when they come to them.
Brew
said efforts had been made in the past to persuade farmers to accept cheques,
instead of cash payment for their produce but this did not work out
successfully. He expressed the hope that the new development will convince them
to accept cheques instead of cash to avoid a recurrence of the theft.
Brew
said the farmers had in the past complained about the delays in getting access
to cash from the banks after they had been issued with the Akuafo Cheques
because the cocoa season is closer to Christmas and the demand for money is
high during this time.
He
said although Cocobod shares their concern, it is necessary for them to use the
cheques to avoid what has happened to the farmers in the Birim North District. He
said Cocobod, the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana will soon arrange a
meeting to sort that problem out.
On
the licensing of the LBCs, Brew said there is no short cut to attaining a
licence to operate, noting that they ensure that all those in operation meet
the requirements. He said currently, there are 26 of the LBCs in operation
throughout the country.
Brew
said within the last four years, the Cocobod withdrew the licences of six of
the LBCs for failing to operate according to the procedures and warned that
those who fall foul of the operational specifications will be sanctioned
appropriately.
He
said the Cocobod was unable to educate the farmers on the features of the new
currency notes when they were introduced because they were already in the cocoa
season where payments had been made.
However,
he said efforts are being made to do so through the LBCs before the
commencement of the new season this year.
He
said the amount of money that is traded during the period is about ˘3 trillion
and frantic efforts must be made to ensure that fake currency peddlers do not
take advantage of the ignorance of the farmers to dupe them. Brew said his
outfit will also ensure that there is enough money in the system to enhance
trading. – Graphic
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Government won’t shield anyone – Dr Anane
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - The Government will not shield anyone found
culpable in the forensic audit report into the operations of the Ghana Airways.
Government
will, however, ensure the strict observance of the rule of law and due process
in the implementation of the recommendations of the report. The Minister of
Roads and Highways, Dr Richard Anane, who said this in an interview in Accra,
explained that the decision to allow the officers to comment on the report is
in line with the rule of law as it will give them the opportunity to respond to
the queries before the next line of action is taken.
Responding
to calls from a section of the public and the media about the delay in
publishing the report, Dr Anane said the move by the government is to prevent
any individual or individuals from misconstruing any future action to be a
deliberate one targeted at certain personalities in society.
He,
therefore, urged the public and the media to desist from stampeding the
government into taking hasty decisions, which might go against the tenets of
the rule of law.
Explaining
the processes, Dr Anane confirmed that the audit report has been completed and
submitted to the board of the airline, which studied it and referred it to its
legal advisers to give legal meaning to it.
He
said it was after the legal advisers had studied the report that they advised
the board to serve all those mentioned in it with copies to enable them to
react accordingly. Dr Anane said the board is now awaiting the responses, after
which the report will be forwarded to the sector minister, who will in turn
submit it to the Attorney-General for advice.
He
said these processes are very crucial when dealing with a very sensitive issue
such as this and, therefore, care must be taken to ensure that there are no
flaws whatsoever.
Touching
on the Ghana Airways aircraft, he said two of them have been sent to Italy for
maintenance and this is what has compelled the management of the airline to
charter flights at a very exorbitant cost.
He
expressed the hope that the technicians will complete the work soon for the
aircraft to be returned to the country as soon as practicable. – Graphic
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Lawyer challenges law on causing financial loss
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - A lawyer and a private investigator, Nana Adjei
Ampofo, has filed a writ at the Supreme Court challenging the validity of the
law on wilfully causing financial loss to the state in the country’s statute
books.
He
is, therefore, seeking a declaration that the law is inconsistent with and in
contravention of the spirit and letter of the Constitution of Ghana.
The
application, filed on May 8, this year, and has the Attorney-General as
defendant, is also seeking an order declaring any trial held or conducted under
the law as void.
The
plaintiff is further seeking an order of the court restraining the defendant
from further conducting any prosecution under the said law.
In
his statement of claim, Nana Ampofo, who is suing in his capacity as a citizen
of Ghana, said Section 179 A (3) (a) of the Criminal Code under which the law
falls is vague because, among other things, it is not explicit, certain and
definite enough and it is overbroad or so elastic that it can catch even
otherwise lawful exercise of discretion or duty.
He
also contended that the law might also permit discriminatory, arbitrary and
unfair exercise of discretion in deciding which cases to prosecute and which
not to.
The
plaintiff said the law contravenes well-known international and or
constitutional doctrines and described it as “void-for-vagueness and
void-for-over breath”, which, in penal legislation, renders penal statutes
void.
He
said the Constitution enjoins all organs of the state including the Judiciary
to ensure compliance with its provisions and that duty cannot and must not be
pushed to Parliament by the Supreme Court, to amend or repeal the law as if the
Supreme Court had no power to act.
The
defendant has 14 days after the service on him to file or cause to be filed on
his behalf a statement of his case in defence. – Graphic
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We will bribe electorate, if... – Jake
Accra
(Greater Accra) 13 May 2003 - The Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the
Capital City, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey says if bribing the electorate is the only
means available to ensuring developments, then the NPP government will continue
to use that means to remain in power.
''We
will continue to bribe the people by continuing to supply them with their needs
because that is why we are in power'', he told critics who were alleging that
government was exploiting incumbency to its advantage.
The
Minister, who is also the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP was addressing
members of the Okai-Koi North Constituency of the party at a day’s forum in
Accra. He said the NPP government has within two years proved itself of having
the capacity and ability to administer the country.
''Do
not let anybody make you feel that we are not performing well because the NPP
government has done more in two years than what the previous government did in
20 years''.
He
urged supporters of the NPP to exert pressure on government to undertake more
development projects. - Evening News
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Whistle blower vindicated
Accra (Greater Accra) 13
May 2003 -The general manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Robert
Kafui Johnson, has been requested the Auditor-General’s department to
re-instate Abraham S. Adjei, the technician of the agency who blew the whistle
on the various irregularities in the nation’s sole wire agency two years ago.
Shortly after Adjei had
reported cases of underpayment of workers’ salaries, the delay in promoting
casual workers to full staff status and other anomalies, which the workers
disliked, his appointments was terminated for no apparent reason.
When contacted on whether or
not he would take back Adjei into the GNA fold, Johnson said he was not the
authority who employed the technician; he further said because the decision to
terminate Adjei’s appointment was taken by the management board of GNA, he had
decided to refer the auditor-generals’ report to “our National Media Commission
(NMC)
When asked why the board
chairman, Georgina Baiden, who signed his termination letter was not asked by
the auditor general to re-instate Adjei, Johnson said he could not answer on
phone. “I won’t answer because I am not even sure you are Ohene that I am
talking to”.
A letter the auditor-general,
Edward Dua Agyeman, signed on 7 May this year, told the GNA general manager: “I
recommend that S.A. Adjei should be re-instated forthwith without any loss in
remuneration or grade”.
Until Adjei sacked, he was a
chief technical superintendent and chairman of the Public Services Workers’
Union of the news agency. The auditor-general’s reason for recommended Adjei’s
reinstatement was unambiguous: My draft report was the investigations submitted
to you, the two former general managers and your respective responses on the
issue clearly show that the union’s concerns were largely proven”.
The element of vengeance had
also been captured by the investigations that Agyeman ordered into the GNA
issue. In fact, in the advice submitted to Johnson, the auditor-general noted,
“I have been reliably informed that his appointment was terminated because of
the role he played as the local union chairman in reporting the salary
distortions and anomalies to government which resulted in my investigations”.
When reached on phone to
elaborate on the recommendation, the national chief auditor said, if his
employers prove adamant and do not re-engage him, Adjei could resort to any
legal action available to him. He hinted further that such resistance could be
forthcoming from Johnson and the management of GNA for that matter.
According to the
auditor-general, the general manager on receiving the letter asking for the
re-instatement called him (the auditor general), claiming that Adjei was
dismissed before he blew the whistle.
That would imply that Adjei’s
dismissal had nothing to do with his supposed whistle-blowing and so, even if
his allegations have subsequently been proven, there is no point in asking for
his re-instatement.
But when Chronicle got in
touch with Adjei he swore that he had documentary evidence to the effect that
he reported the irregularities before he was sacked. “My petition to then
minister for the Media Relations was dated 5 September 2001, while
my termination of appointment letter, was dated 10 January, 2002”.
Another thing that the paper learnt was that, even Adjei was
sacked before he made his noise, it would be necessary for the management to
prove beyond doubt that it did not hurriedly sack him because it got wind of
the fact that Adjei was about to raise a storm.
Asked what steps his outfit
was about to take, the cautions auditor said the present dispute might require
going into the circumstances leading to the union leader’s dismissal. “It may
probably mean, that I may have to call the TUC leadership”.
As readers would recall, our
lead story of 11 March, headed “GNA Bosses Taken To Task” reported the
auditor-general as asking two ex-general managers of the GNA, Sam B Quaicoo and
Sam Clegg ass well as R.K. Johnson, the incumbent to respond to certain
observations pertaining to their stewardship that the A-G had made.
“There had been incorrect
payments of arrears of salaries, underpayments of salaries totalling
˘92,709,736.02 to officers were while 120 were overpaid ˘12,262,343.18”, the
auditor-general said.
The story also said “some
officers were not placed on correct basic salaries and also a total of ˘
78,626,833.69 being 17˝% of workers’ SSNIT contributions had not been paid”.
It is these and other
irregularities breeding discontent among workers that Abraham Adjei elected to
bring to the attention of the government. He petitioned the sector minister to
look into the matter.
On 11 January, last year
however, Adjei was dismissed from the agency by a letter signed by the chairman
of the GNA board, Mrs Georgina Baiden,
who simply stated “You are hereby informed that your services are longer
required in the GNA. – Chronicle
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your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Sunyani (Brong
Ahafo) 13 May 2003 – The Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command has mounted an
intensive such for seven managing directors of some timber firms for their
alleged involvement in illegal timber and chain sawing operations in the Bechem
forest.
The
firms are Alhaji Wiafe, AOB, Burgor and Asamoah Sawmills, all located at Duayaw
Nkwanta, Benko Sawmill, Amoako Table Saw, both of Techimantia and Aidoo’s Bush
Mill at Derma.
The
suspects are said to have contributed to the depletion of the Bechem forest and
others. To enable them get away with their booty at the expense of the country,
they were also said to have frustrated preliminary investigations conducted by
the Forest Service Division (FSD) into their activities.
According
to the Regional Crime Officer, Police Superintendent Alexander Aduow Mensah,
who confirmed these to the “Times”, said the suspects have dismantled all their
machines from their location and bolted.
Quantities
of illegal produced logs and sawn lumber were however retrieved and parked at
the Oti Yeboah Complex Limited, he added.
Incidentally,
apart from AOB Sawmill, the rest have no records at the FSD pertaining to
either the legitimate existence of their companies or their sources of raw
material supply or both.
The
Crime Officer said that the suspects had allegedly refused to comply with
directives by the FSD to provide documentary proof of fulfilment of all
statutory requirements pertaining to genuine timber business in Ghana.
They
also refused to provide evidence of genuine sources of supply of raw material
to the sawmills including permits/purchases from the FSD, if any. According to
the crime officer, all efforts would be made to arrest them. – Ghanaian
Times
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your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com