President Mills has to come clean on Woyome dole-out

The Chronicle is disappointed that President John Evans Atta Mills has not found it compelling enough to make a full disclosure on the GH¢58 million dole-out to his friend and NDC bankroller, Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

By this piece, The Chronicle is serving notice that we would not rest until the truth has been established in this sordid affair. We do not accept the notion that the President does not know the contents of a letter written to him through the Chief of Staff or Office of the President.

On Thursday, when the dismissal of the Mr. Martin Amidu, the distinguished Attorney-General was announced, it was communicated to the media and the Ghanaian populace through the Chief of Staff, John Martey Newmann.

The Chief of Staff is key to the operations of the Presidential office. We submit that it is impossible that a very serious matter like the advise to pay GH¢58m from the consolidated fund for the use of one person, could be brought to the attention of the President by the Chief of Staff.

We are drawing the attention of the President to the seriousness of the problem that his administration has created. We are told that Woyome is a friend of the President and that he is a regular visitor to the Castle.

This should inform the President that the likely fall-out of the scandal would engulf his office, unless he summons the courage to deal with it once and for all. If the President still believes that he could use the Economic and Organised Crime Office to shift the blame from his fumbling administration onto others, he must be living in a cloud cuckoo land.

The Woyome pay-out is the most terrible scandal to hit any administration of this country since independence, in 1957. It puts Krobo Edusie’s importation of a 3,000 pounds sterling gold bed in 1958 in the shade, and makes the $1 million loan contracted by the People’s National Party to settle officers of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, leading to jail terms handed to Nana Okutwer Bekoe, National Chairman of the PNP and other party bigwigs, in the so-called revolutionary era, a joke.

The Woyome pay-out is a scandal of gargantuan proportion and should not be swept under the carpet. If the President is unaware, the dismissal of Mr. Martin Amidu would never wash the dirt off the hands of those who perpetrated the act. Neither would it absorb the President who got to know of it and failed to stop the deal.

The manner of the dismissal of Mr. Martin Amidu, the man who partnered Prof. John Evans Atta Mills in his failed attempt to be President of Ghana, tells its own story. For us at The Chronicle, we would never be fooled by the grand scheme to cover up.

The Chronicle would like to know why Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu is at post, while being investigated by the EOCO. Why has the President not fired his Chief of Staff, if it is true that Mr. Martey-Newmann failed to inform the President when the advice for the payment of that huge money was communicated for the attention of the President, through the Chief of Staff.

If Prof.  Mills thinks Ghanaians are being taken in by the comedy his administration is trying rather hard to surround the scandal with, he would live to regret. Ghanaians still remember the fuss members of the then opposition made when a farmer was said to have paid ¢41 (GH¢4,100) towards the construction of a security gate at the residence of former President John Agyekum Kufuor .

The Woyome scandal cannot be wished away. Neither would the attempt to visit his sins on our innocent souls ever succeeded. We submit here that President John Evans Atta Mills knows a lot about this payment and is obliged to come clean!

Source: The Chronicle 

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HOW WOYOME’S GH¢58M DEAL WAS BROKERED

The Chronicle

By Emmanuel Akli

Even before the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) could submit its report on the circumstances that led to the payment of a whopping GH¢58 million to National Democratic Congress bankroller, Alfred Agbesi Woyome, The Chronicle can report that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning sanctioned the payment, after convincing the Attorney General and Minister of Justice with a dodgy document, suggesting that Mr. Woyome had a genuine contract with the government.

In a letter dated March 25, 2010, and signed by Paul Asimenu, designated as Director in charge of Legal Affairs at the Ministry Finance and Economic Planning, on behalf of the sector Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, he argued strongly that Mr. Woyome did financial engineering work with regard to the stadium renovation work and was, therefore, entitled to 2% of the funds he supposedly secured from an Austrian bank for the project and others.

“It is my considered view, given the complexity of the work involved in securing the financing in question that the claim of 2% is deemed legitimate. I have been asked to request Hon. Attorney to review the foregoing for determination to be made on the claim,” Mr.  Asimenu indicated in his letter, which was written to the Attorney General.

A source, which spoke to The Chronicle, noted that this letter fooled the Attorney General not to enter appearance when Mr. Woyome filed the suit against the government, making claims for the work he had done for the government and, therefore, was entitled to 20% of the money he allegedly secured.

When the suit was filed against government, the then Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu, failed to enter appearance and rather negotiated for consent judgment, which was adopted by the court.

After Mr. Woyome had received part payment of the money that was awarded him, Madam Betty Mould Iddrisu went and filed a stay of execution against the consent judgement, because she made a mistake and that new evidence had emerged, which was granted.

The judge also ordered Mr. Woyome to write an undertaking that he would return the money, should he lose the case. Information, however, indicates that at the time the Attorney General was filing for the stay of execution, the money had actually been paid to Mr. Woyome.

In a related development, The Chronicle is investigating allegations that one of the protagonists in what has become known as ‘Woyome scandal’ took a loan of GH¢4.5 million from a bank, belonging to a top government official, which was repaid immediately the Accountant General effected the payment of the judgment debt. This reporter gathered that the one who took the loan paid it with an Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) Cheque.

The Chronicle further gathered that after the cheque had been received by the said bank, owned by a top the government official, the owner instructed his management team to write “Zero Float” on the cheque, after which it was immediately transferred from the records of the bank.

It was also established that when the one who took the loan first put in the request, management of the bank rejected it, but the top government official and owner of the bank intervened and ordered that the money be given. Stay tuned for details.

Meanwhile, the following is an unedited version of the letter written by the Mr. Paul Asimenu on behalf of the Finance Minister, arguing why the money must be paid to Mr. Woyome.

“I have been directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 17, 2010, pertaining to the above subject matter and to outline the facts relating to the financial engineering aspects of the matter.

2. Documents reviewed on the subject include the advisory opinions of Building Industry Consultants (BIC) consultants for the project and Mr. Rex Danquah, the CEO of the LOC Secretariat, the petition of Mr. Woyome, and other internal memoranda pertaining to the matter.

3. We note from the submission of BIC that other aspects of the claims are being reviewed by your office and as advised, we have limited our review to the financial engineering claim.

4. I have to state that I was part of an evaluation team of three persons who evaluated the financial offers of the companies shortlisted for the project.

The team was under the chairmanship of the then Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mr. Lionel Van Lare Dossoo with Ms. Yvonne Quansah of the Aid and Debt Management Division of the Ministry as the other member.

5. In reviewing the financing offers, the evaluation team sought clarification on issues for which elaboration was required from some of the groups.

In the case of the M-Power Pak/Austro Invest/Waterville offer, the team received clarification of the required issues from Mr. Alfred Woyome, the financial engineering consultant for the M-Power Pak/Austro Invest/Waterville group.

6. Available information reveals that the contract for the works, which had been started by Waterville, was later re-awarded to their subcontractors, Micheletti, for Ohene Djan Stadium and El Wak, while that for Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi was awarded to Consar Limited.

7. Available records also reveal that following the change of contractors, Waterville put in claims for payment of specific amounts of money based on certification by the project Consultants, Building Industry Consultants Limited (BIC).

These claims, according to available document did not include financial engineering.

8. Regarding the legitimacy of the claim for financial engineering, we would like to state that it is a cost that is chargeable internationally and may range from 0.5% – 5% of the contracted sum.

The actual fee paid under international best practice, however, depends on the type of project, its complexity and amount of work involved. This may involve retaining insurance companies to underwrite aspects of the cost of the facility.

9. In the specific case of the financing in question, we have evidence of file which shows that the negotiations leading to availability of the funds which Bank Austria made available involved negotiations with the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank Group and other financial institutions.

10. It is pertinent to state that the amount of credit made available for the Stadia Projects amounted to €764,117,646 for which the claim for financial engineering is being made. It needs to be pointed out however that the financial term sheet reviewed from Bank Austria included financing for other projects namely; €329,411,765.00 for six hospitals and €12,941,176.00 for a Cobalt 60 plant and tissue culture project. The grand total of sums made available by Bank Austria through the Woyome led consortium therefore amounted to€1,106,470,587.00.

11. The evaluation team adjudged the finance offer from Bank Austria Creditanstalt arranged by Mr. Alfred Woyome the lead consultant who led M-Power Pak/ Austro Invest/Waterville Holdings as the most competitive.

We accordingly recommended that offer to Government. Our review revealed the Bank Austria facility as having a grant element 36.2% of which met Government’s concessional criteria of 35% grant element.

12. It is my considered view given the complexity of the work involved in securing the financing in question that the claim of 2% is deemed legitimate.

13. I have been asked to request Hon. Attorney to review the foregoing for determining to be made on the claim.

14. Enclosed are relevant documents pertaining to the claim.”

Signed: Paul Asimenu

Director, Legal.

For: Ministers.

Cc:  Hon. Minister, MOFEP

        Hon. Minister, Youth & Sports

        Hon. Deputy Ministers, MoFEP

       Hon. Chief Director, MoFEP

Tullow Oil launches $6 million Scholarship Scheme

Tullow Oil has launched a scholarship scheme worth more than $6million to support 110 young scholars from nine developing countries including 50 from Ghana. The Tullow Group Scholarship Scheme would benefit university graduates with second class upper or first class degrees, and HND holders with distinction drawn from Ghana, Uganda, Gabon, Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mauritania and French Guiana. Out of the 50 spaces allotted to Ghana, 10 have been reserved for the Western Region, another 10 for government institutions and the remaining 30 are open for public competition. Each qualifying candidate stands to gain at least $60,000 a year covering tuition, travel, warm clothes, monthly allowances and baggage allowance for training in selected European countries including the UK and France. Vice President of External Affair and Corporate Social Responsibility at Tullow Oil, Rosalind Kainyah said Tullow has already sponsored 24 Ghanaians on pilot basis to top universities in the UK to study and this comprehensive one comes on the back of the success of the pilot. She said over time the scholarship to study overseas would give way to scholarships to study locally because Tullow has plans to support internationally recognised institutions in the selected countries to train the scholars instead of making them travel overseas. “The in-country institutional strengthening programme will complement the scholarship scheme and will mean that the need for scholarships in overseas institutions phases out over time and is replaced with scholarships to these internationally recognised in-country institutions,” she said. Tullow has appointed the British Council to manage the selection of candidates for the scholarship and Director of the British Council Ghana, Moses Anibaba says they will start receiving applications from March this year. He also announced that the British Council will also take care of all pre-departure issues like visa and flight arrangement for the selected candidates. Part of the British Council’s responsibility is to ensure that beneficiaries of the scheme would return home after their training and help with national development and Mr. Anibaba said the council will notrenege on that responsibility. Minister of Energy, Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei who launched the scheme lauded Tullow for the initiative and noted that if the scheme continued at the pace it is going, Ghana and Africa would have lots of world class experts within a short time. He however appealed to Tullow to increase the number of scholarships for Ghana, saying “if you give 50 scholarships at a time when you are drilling 85,000 barrels of oils per day in Ghana then I pray for you to get 120,000 barrels of oil in Ghana per day so you can give us about 80 scholarships every year.” The minister also urged beneficiaries to return home and help with national development saying that if anyone fails to return he will personally organise a prayer session and pray until the person returns home. Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona/Adom News/Ghana

Allotey Jacobs: Woyome scandal stinks, it’s an albatross on our neck

Allotey Jacobs Central Regional Communication Director of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, says the Woyome scandal is an albatross on the neck of government. Describing the controversial payment of GHS58 million judgment debt to the NDC financier as stinking, Mr Jacobs admitted: “It has become an albatross on our neck as a party and as a government…” He was, however, quick to assure Ghanaians that President John Evans Atta Mills is “resolute to unravel this mystery and axe will fall where it must fall.” Allotey Jacobs was speaking on Peace FM’s current affairs programmeKokrokoo on Wednesday. He pleaded with Ghanaians not to pay attention to attempts by opposition parties whom he said were trying hard to narrow down the scandal to the president. Despite the difficulties, Allotey said it was better to entrust the country into Mills’ hand than that of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, leader of the main opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP). He also called on all NDC members to take the wise counsel of Mr Sam Pee Yarley and stay clear of the case and allow the courts to determine Woyome’s innocence or otherwise.

Allotey Jacobs: Woyome scandal stinks, it’s an albatross on our neck

Allotey Jacobs Central Regional Communication Director of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, says the Woyome scandal is an albatross on the neck of government. Describing the controversial payment of GHS58 million judgment debt to the NDC financier as stinking, Mr Jacobs admitted: “It has become an albatross on our neck as a party and as a government…” He was, however, quick to assure Ghanaians that President John Evans Atta Mills is “resolute to unravel this mystery and axe will fall where it must fall.” Allotey Jacobs was speaking on Peace FM’s current affairs programmeKokrokoo on Wednesday. He pleaded with Ghanaians not to pay attention to attempts by opposition parties whom he said were trying hard to narrow down the scandal to the president. Despite the difficulties, Allotey said it was better to entrust the country into Mills’ hand than that of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, leader of the main opposition party, New Patriotic Party (NPP). He also called on all NDC members to take the wise counsel of Mr Sam Pee Yarley and stay clear of the case and allow the courts to determine Woyome’s innocence or otherwise.

True NDC members should back off Woyome saga – Sam Pee Yarley

A leading member of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a public interest lawyer, Sam Pee Yaley, has admonished all “true” members of the party to stay off the controversial Wayome judgement debt scandal. He said members and supporters of the party should not necessarily have to back Albert Agbesi Woyome because he is supposedly a member of the NDC. The businessman and NDC financier, since he was paid GHS58 million in a consent judgment debt, has enjoyed the support of leading members of the party and government. President Mills ordered investigations into the issue following a loud public outcry. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) also called for a public inquiry into the matter. But persons who support Mr Woyome hold a strong belief he is being unnecessarily persecuted. A pro-NDC pressure group which pledged unflinching support for the businessman last week embarked on a demonstration Tuesday, petitioning government to arrest past officials in connection with the issue. The KNUST branch of the Tertiary Education Network of the NDC called on the government to immediately withdraw the case filed against Mr Woyome. But Sam Pee Yarley, contributing to a discourse on Peace FM’sKokrokoo Wednesday, described as nation wreckers those defending Woyome. He said if a party member faulted the laws of the land that person must be held responsible. He said Woyome should not be shielded because of his affiliation to the NDC and that his defence must be seen to be done only by his team of lawyers. The NDC guru advised all “true” members of the NDC to refrain from defending Woyome, especially, in the media and allow the courts to determine his innocence. Meanwhile Central Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwamena Duncan, commenting on the issue, asked President Mills to take critical note of the advice proferred by Mr Yaley because he has been mandated by Ghanaians to protect the public purse. Duncan said the president cannot absolve himself from blame as far as the Woyome saga was concerned because he was earlier being protective of Woyome. Ghana/myjoyonline.com/Dorcas Efe Mensah

Betty Mould resigned because of poor handling of the Woyome scandal-Ayariga

Deputy Education Minister Mahama Ayariga says his former boss, Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu resigned from her post because the incessant discussions on the the controversial Woyome judgement debt payment had become an unbearable distraction.

He said the former Attorney-General who authorised the payments to Mr Woyome having entered into an agreement on the basis of which the NDC financier procured the judgement culminating in the payment of GHS58 million to him became very concerned about the tone of the discussions.

Mr Ayariga told Joy News that while the Minority New Patriotic Party was bent on keeping the discussion going unabated and sought to impugn Mrs Iddrisu’s integrity and impute some culpability to her, the government did not appear to have a concerted defence to the NPP’s attacks.

Former Education Minister Betty Mould Iddrissu had been under pressure from sections of the public to explain her decision to resign following her decision to quit government on Monday.

Several civil society organizations as wells as the opposition NPP have been demanding reasons for the former minister’s action.

In an apparent response to the demands, Mrs. Mould Iddrisu mandated her former deputy; Mahama Ayariga to speak for her.

He told Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng that Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu hopes that the investigations being conducted by Economic and Organised Crimes Office will uncover the truth and exonerate her.

Meanwhile, former Supreme Court judge, Justice Francis Kpega does not think the former education minister owes the public any explanation of her action.

According to him, if there are any explanations to provide at all, it must be only to the president and not the public.

In a related development, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition says it has followed with concern the unfolding controversies and confusion related to the Woyome Judgment Debt Case.

It said the the confusion has been worsened by events leading to the dismissal of the now former Attorney General, Mr Martin Amidu.

The coalition, in a statement issued to the media, said “In the light of these recent events, we strongly urge the President and Government to take a second look at the processes initiated to investigate the actions of public officials leading to the payment of various sums of money to Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome.”

Anti-corruption coalition wants gov't to deal with Woyome case

Rev. Fred Deegbe

PRESS RELEASE
GOVERNMENT MUST DEMONSTRATE STRONG COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING CORRUPTION IN THE WOYOME JUDGEMENT DEBT CASE

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition has followed with concern the unfolding controversies and confusion related to the Woyome Judgement Debt Case. The confusion has been worsened by the events leading to dismissal of the now former Attorney General, Honourable Martin Amidu. In the light of these recent events, we strongly urge the President and Government to take a second look at the processes initiated to investigate the actions of public officials leading to the payment of various sums of money to Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

The mix-ups and slip-ups surrounding the Woyome Judgement debt should be a source of worry for every Ghanaian citizen as it badly exposes severe weaknesses in the exercise discretionary power by public officials who are supposed to act solely and exclusively in the public interest. Additionally, it calls to question the political class’ commitment to fight corruption and promote accountability when they are unable to differentiate between party and government.

This is a systemic problem that requires bi-partisan response and sobriety to ensure that the ordinary Ghanaian taxpayer does not bore the brunt of these kinds institutional failures.

We urge the state institutions in the chain of accountability including the Controller and Accountant General, the Auditor-General and the Minister for Finance, to come out once and for all to end the speculation and political ‘football’ by establishing the facts related to the amounts of monies paid so far to Mr. Woyome. We also entreat the Acting Attorney-General to expedite action on the parallel legal process initiated by his predecessor as directed the President.

The allegation of political interference in the Attorney General’s mandate of prosecuting corrupt public officials in the ensuing Judgement Debt Case confirms the challenges confronting the dual role of the Attorney General as the principal legal advisor to the government and also the initiator of public prosecution. In this light, we renew our call for the decoupling of the Attorney Generals Department from the Ministry of Justice to insulate corruption prosecution from suspicion of political interference and enhance the country’s anti-corruption drive.

We, urge the ousted Attorney General to provide all the information he has on the case to any of the independent anti-corruption institutions tasked with investigating the case, using the appropriate channels while protecting his integrity.

Lastly, we refer to the government’s recent membership of the Open Government Partnership which requires it to be committed to be open and transparent in its activities, ensure civic participation in governance and exhibit the highest standard of professionalism and integrity in its administration. This should not be a mere rhetoric but translated into action in this case.

We would also like to use this opportunity to urge all citizens especially public and civil servants, and political appointees to use the safeguard that is offered under the Whistle-blower Act, 2006 (Act 720) to report on cases of malpractices to ensure that they are not mishandled by any political figure.
SIGNED BY:
REV. DR. FRED DEEGBE

ECG to reply Anas over revelation of deep seated corruption in the company

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) is preparing a response to the latest investigative piece exposing alleged acts of corruption in the company.

The documentary was put together by ace Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

The undercover investigations reveal the indebtedness of the companies accounts for the ECG’s inability to deliver efficient service.

The defaulters include mobile phone companies, mining firms, the country’s universities as well as state organizations such as the Office of the President which owed hundreds of millions of cedis as at November last year.

Anas Aremeyaw Anas told Joy News the corruption at ECG is worrying.

He said there are a thousand and one ways by which the nation is duped by fraudulent individuals and companies with the active connivance of devious ECG officials.

Anas said the video, which is yet to be aired, will show the extraordinarily high amounts of money that board members of the ECG take as allowance and yet preside over these inefficiencies and corrupt tendencies.

Managers of ECG have been in meetings for the better part of Monday strategising their response to the allegations.

They are expected give their responses tomorrow.

Betty Mould-Iddrisu resigns over Wayome payments saga

Education Minister, Betty Mould-Iddrisu has resigned from office over developments associated with the Alfred Woyome judgment debt saga.

Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu who confirmed her decision to Joy News’ presidential correspondent, Seth Kwame Boateng, fell short of explaining her decision but promised to make it public later tomorrow (Tuesday).

She presented her letter of resignation to the Office of the President Monday evening, Myjoyonline sources at the Castle say, explaining that President J.E.A. Mills is yet to accept the resignation.

It is widely believed the president will accept the decision as our sources say Betty had been under pressure to resign or be shown the door over her handling of the payment of about GHS58 million to the businessman and financier of the ruling party, Alfred Woyome, while she was Attorney General.

The Castle sources claim Betty referred to the long drawn out debate generated over the controversial payments, saying the debates distracted her from performing her ministerial functions.

But she also insisted that “she is resigning with a clear conscience and is confident any investigation will exonerate her,” said one of the sources which corroborated that the presidency has received her resignation letter. 

She also thanked President Mills for the opportunity to serve in his administration. 

There were speculations last week she might speak publicly to defend her name after some party activists and supporters suggested she be sacked because she mishandled the affair while she was the chief legal officer of the state, with some going as far as claiming she might be complicit. The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) also called for her head for failing to do due diligence in the matter.

Close associates of hers told Myjoyonline.com her decisions on the Woyome case had been based on what appeared sound counsel from legal brains and technocrats at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and elsewhere and that in due time she would tell the entire country what she knows about the case. 

Betty Mould-Iddrisu was previously the Head of Legal and Constitutional Affairs of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London before she was made Ghana's first ever woman Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

She becomes the second cabinet minister in the present administration to have lost her job over the Woyome judgment debt issue following closely on the heels of sacked Attorney General, Martin Amidu.

Amidu was last week dismissed from office shortly after the president issued an ultimatum for him to prove corrupt allegations against persons in the government or resign.