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Justice Oppong would have been disgraced – Kofi Adams

Posted by APPLE DESIGNS Aug 28th

Category: GHANA NEWS REVIEW

Tags: Justice Oppong would have been disgraced – Kofi Adams

NDC Deputy General Secretary, Kofi Adams

A Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress Mr Kofi Adams says Justice Anthony Oppong chickened out of the Ya-Na murder case because he didn’t want to confront the massive evidence of bias against him.

He said if the judge refused to recuse himself from the case, incontrovertible evidence would have been adduced to prove his guilt in the matter.

Kofi Adams was speaking on Joy FM’s news analysis programme, Newsfile Saturday, August 28, 2010.

“When the judge was running away from the obvious [facts] that will face him if he should continue to sit on the case, he now tried to bring in politics and make it look like the AG was attacking the whole Bench,” he stated, adding, “if the judge knew that he was clean, he should have stayed on [the case] and allow the case as they had started to continue to its logical conclusion but he ran away, he abandoned that course.”

Justice Anthony Oppong who was the trial judge of the case involving some 15 persons alleged to have played various roles in the murder of the overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, recused himself from the case following allegation that he made prejudicial comments on it at a drinking bar.

But he did not leave in silence. The judge challenged the Deputy Attorney-General, Mr Ebo Barton Oduro to provide proof of his allegations or render him an unqualified apology, denying ever making any of the comments attributed to him by the Deputy A-G.

“Barton Oduro, Esq accused me of being a drunkard and being irresponsible enough to have gone to a drinking bar and under the influence of alcohol made prejudicial comments about this case. I vehemently deny this. I have never been to a drinking bar and made any comment whatsoever on this Yaa Naa's murder case.

“I challenge Barton Oduro Esquire to substantiate this allegation or render an unqualified apology to me for running me down,” Mr Oppong noted.

He didn’t leave it there, “I have felt insulted, scandalized and indeed bastardized all in the name of the Attorney-General's office attempt to play politics with the Bench in general and with me in particular. I am no politician. I am a judge and have taken oath to dispense justice to all manner of persons irrespective of whatever.”

But Kofi Adams says he (Adams) may never feel confident that he will get justice or fair judgement should he have a case adjudicated by Mr Anthony Oppong.

He said “that is why … if I were the AG’s department, I would make some information available to the appointing authority to see what can be done as far as this judge is concerned but I wasn’t too comfortable [because] the judge was very political, he ended up exposing himself when, in dealing with the issues raised by the prosecution and the Attorney-General, he sought to bring the NDC as a political party into this matter.”

Supporting Mr Adam’s argument, Spokesperson for Vice-President John Jinapor rejected suggestions that the Deputy A-G’s evidence was banal since it was based on a third party account.

Mr Barton Oduro had said he had a tape recording of his conversation with a an unnamed lady who alleged that Justice Oppong had said the case against the 15 persons will be thrown out.

Mr Jinpor said the evidence against the judge was overwhelming and that there were people who were willing to testify against the judge in court.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Akufo-Addo Greets Okyenhene

Posted by Mizzy leila D Aug 13th

Category: GHANA NEWS REVIEW

Tags: Akufo-Addo Greets Okyenhene

The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, has asked for the blessings of the Okyenhene, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, as he begins his 28-month journey to the December 2012 general elections.

It was the first maiden courtesy call of Nana Akufo-Addo since his landslide victory last Saturday as the flag bearer of the main opposition party. The visit took place at the OforiPanin Fie in Kyebi, in the Eastern Region.

Nana Akufo-Addo, in his short speech, thanked the Okyenhene, his cousin and customary grandfather, for his “ever constant moral support and guidance” and asked the Okyenhene to continue encouraging him in his political journey, which is in its 35^th year.

“At the weekend, Nana, I received a very humbling overwhelming endorsement from party delegates across all ten regions of the country. It has given the party a strong platform of unity and strength to challenge for the presidency and parliamentary majority in 2012.”

He continued, “Nana the dream of the founding fathers of our party, Dr Danquah, Dr Busia and the others are very much alive today. By the Grace of God and the votes of the majority of Ghanaians, we hope to recapture power in 2012 and extend the frontiers of liberty and prosperity for the masses of our people.”

In a brief response, the Okyenhene congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo on his 79% landslide victory and also called on him to work hard and pray hard in fulfillment of that dream.

He also congratulated the entire NPP for conducting the elections in a free, fair and peaceful manner and urged the other parties in Ghana and on the continent to see what they can emulate from it in the collective quest to enhance multiparty democracy.

Over 107,000 delegates across 128 constituencies in Ghana voted on Saturday to elect the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the NPP.

Nana Akufo-Addo went to Kyebi, after attending the parliamentary primary of the Atiwa constituency. Akwasi Amoako-Atta, the Atiwa District Assembly presiding officer, was nominated by Atiwa NPP delegates for the bye-election which takes place on 31^st August.

The seat was declared vacant on the death of Kwasi Ankama, the MP.The 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo-Addo, has asked for the blessings of the Okyenhene, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, as he begins his 28-month journey to the December 2012 general elections.

In a brief response, the Okyenhene congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo on his 79% landslide victory and also called on him to work hard and pray hard in fulfillment of that dream.

Over 107,000 delegates across 128 constituencies in Ghana voted on Saturday to elect the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the NPP.

In a brief response, the Okyenhene congratulated Nana Akufo-Addo on his 79% landslide victory and also called on him to work hard and pray hard in fulfillment of that dream.

Over 107,000 delegates across 128 constituencies in Ghana voted on Saturday to elect the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the NPP.

The seat was declared vacant on the death of Kwasi Ankama, the MP.

Source: Abena Radio

Rot at STC: GH¢81 million used for bribery

Posted by Mizzy leila D Aug 12th

Category: GHANA NEWS REVIEW

Tags: Rot at STC: GH¢81 million used for bribery

A committee of inquiry set up by the government to investigate alleged financial malfeasance at the Intercity STC (ISTC) Coaches Limited has revealed that an estimated amount of GH¢81 million collected from passengers as clearance fees from 2000 to 2009 cannot be accounted for by the management.

The clearance fees are paid by passengers to and from Abidjan, Cotonou and Ouagadougou, in addition to the normal fares charged by ISTC, to facilitate their smooth and quick movement through the many borders and barriers on the company's international routes.

According to the report of the committee made available to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, although the fees had been collected in the name of the company, there was no record of receipts, nor could the money be accounted for by the management.

The three-member committee, under the chairmanship of Mr Abu Millah, a financial consultant; said the clearance money was "money used to corrupt international public officials along the company's international routes".

"We believe the company can use other genuine means to get clearance on these routes and save passengers huge sums of money," the report stated.

The committee identified some major areas of financial malfeasance, including the sale of tickets jn foreign exchange and their conversion into cedis, the purchase of second-hand engines and parts, the-use of management imprest and questionable payments by management between the period under review.

Giving the breakdown of the estimated sums collected by management between 2000 and 2009, the report said GH¢2 million was stolen in 2000, GH¢4 million in 2001, GH¢4 million in 2002, GH¢6 million in 2003 and GH¢7 million in 2004.

The rest of the collections were GH¢8 million in 2005, GH¢8 million in 2006, GH¢9 million in 2007, GH¢11 million in 2008 and GH¢12 million in 2009.

The report noted that "the fact that these monies are not accounted for represents a serious control weakness which could facilitate fraud".

The committee, which also had Mr Francis Sey and Mr Eric Tetteh as members, recommended that the collection of clearance fees from passengers should, be stopped immediately because it gave Ghana and the company a bad name in the international setting.

It observed that the practice adopted by the company in respect of foreign exchange transactions also lacked transparency and accountability, which left room for corruption, which had resulted in the company suffering exchange losses.

It said by virtue of its operations in Burkina Faso, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire, the company received foreign currency, mainly CFA, from the sale of tickets to passengers.

From time to time, the company exchanged the CFA for local currency but did not keep records of the rates at which the exchange transactions were carried out, it noted.

The committee further observed that due to lack of procurement and stores managers from 2000-2004 and in 2008 and 2010, there were no proper internal controls over purchases of stores and materials running into huge sums of money.

It said the financial effects of the lack of an appropriate procurement arrangement at the ISTC could run into several millions of Ghana cedis.

It recommended that the Managing Directors and General Managers of Finance and Administration of the company from 2000 to 2009 should be held liable for the lapses.

On management imprest, the committee observed that all reimbursement made did not pass through pre-audit checks before cheques were written, a situation which was worrying.

To enhance transparency on road clearance funds, it said tickets issued to passengers on international routes should be divided into two parts - normal fares and road clearance fees - on the same ticket issued, with separate bank accounts.

For purposes of transparency and accountability in the handling of foreign currency, it recommended that all foreign exchange earnings or receipts should be converted through the banking system and that the company should open a foreign currency account for foreign currency earnings and receipts.

"And any time local cedis are required for the company's operations the bank should be requested to convert the foreign currency into cedis for the country’s use,” it noted.

Turning the spotlight on the SVANI contract which was entered into without a written agreement, the committee recommended that all transactions between the company and third, parties should have contracts signed to safeguard the company from embarrassment and unnecessary litigation.

It expressed regret at the financial weakness of the ISTC and asked the management to find a more reliable means of generating additional revenue.

When contacted, the Head of Business, Marketing and Public Relations of the company, Ms Gabriella Tetteh, confirmed that the Ministry of Transport had instituted an enquiry into the clearance fees being collected from the passengers by the ISTC,reports Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

She conceded that the clearance fees were "bribes" paid by the company to officials at barriers and borders on the company's international routes.

Ms Tetteh, who showed a copy of the report of the enquiry on her laptop, explained further that at first passengers on board the company buses used to pay those monies to the police and other officials themselves.

Later on, she said, officials of the ISTC had to collect the monies from the passengers when the bus was full for onward payment to officials manning the various barriers and boundaries on the Abidjan, Ouagadougou and Cotonou routes.

Asked whether the company was still collecting the clearance fees, Ms Tetteh said the system had now been streamlined.

She said currently clearance fees, collected from passengers were indicated on their tickets and given to the drivers as imprest, which was accounted for on their return.

Asked whether anybody had been punished as a result of the outcome of the enquiry, Ms Tetteh said she was not aware of any such action but indicated that senior management members of the company had been asked by the board to proceed on their accumulated leave.

Source: Daily Graphic