Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong sought cabinet approval in the payment of an amount of GH¢67,380,718.20 to Construction Pioneers (CP) as judgement, contrary to the 2016 Auditor General’s Report.
As part of measures to ensure sanity in the payment of Judgement Debt and settled claims, in 2012 the administration of late former President John Evans Attah Mills directed that all Judgement Debt claims exceeding GH¢10,000,000.00 should be submitted to the cabinet for approval prior to final settlement and payment.
However, according to the Auditor General Daniel Domelevo, his review of the bank statement of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Department “disclosed that a payment of GH¢67,380,718.20 (direct debit) was made to Construction Pioneers as judgement debt on behalf of the state without any reference to the cabinet.
The amount was paid in two tranches of GH¢42,820,418.48 and GH¢24,560,299.72 on February 20 and April 1, 2015, respectively.
The Auditor General’s findings are however incorrect per a memo cited by Starrfmonline.com titled: “Request for the Approval for the payment of the outstanding balance owed to Construction Pioneers on the basis of a settlement agreement dated 18th March 2010 between the government of Ghana and Construction Pioneers”.
The letter dated April 19, 2013 read in its opening paragraphs that, “Cabinet is invited to consider and approve the payment of the outstanding balance of €16, 420,000 being the installments due on 31st March, 2012 and 30th June 2012, interest on the said sum as well as interest on delayed payment of earlier installments, pursuant to the Settlement Agreement dated 18th March, 2010 executed between the then Attorney-General, Hon. Betty Mould-Iddrisu and CP Construction Pioneers.”
“I am informed that my predecessor submitted a Memorandum in respect of this subject to Cabinet and that on 3rd January 2013 Cabinet formed a Sub Committee to consider the matter. We have not received any Cabinet directions on that matter,” the letter by Appiah-Opong stated.
Subsequently, Cabinet granted Appiah-Opong the permission to pay the judgement debt to Construction Pioneer in a memo dated May 17, 2013, after its First Special meeting held on May 16, 2013, where the request of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice was considered.
“After discussing the Memorandum, Cabinet gave approval to the request. It would be appreciated if you could take necessary action on the decision,” the approval memo by Cabinet signed its secretary Roger K. Angsowine stated.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM