Accra
(Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - Amid the Fast Track Court’s constitutionality
marathon and the all-important battle to bring peace and reconciliation to the
Dagbon kingdom, Ghanaians would be forgiven if their minds had momentarily
shifted away from the National Reconciliation Commission.
It is
recalled that the Yendi Skin Affairs Committee of Inquiry chaired by Nii Amaa
Ollennu concluded: “their election and enskinment of Mahamadu Abudulai…was
procured by the use of force, which brought a contingent of the Army and the
police in conflict with members of the Andani family in and around the palace,
resulting in the Armed Forces opening fire on members of the Andani family,
killing 23 and wounding several others. Since then and particularly in the
heated debates on the Reconciliation Bill, the Yendi shooting incident of 1969
was often cited as a particular case for inquiry.
It is for smothering
cases such as this and several other allegations of indiscriminate abuses of
human rights that the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) went on the
mission to create a National Reconciliation Commission to inquire into them
with the emphasis squarely on addressing the festering wounds of the victims.
The
Statesman can reveal that the government is still on track to begin that
necessary healing exercise before the end of this month. On Wednesday 23
January, the paper exclusively named the men and women slated to sit on the
panel. Subsequent investigation has revealed that two of the names mentioned
have been dropped and replaced.
One of them
is Prof John Nabila. He is to be replaced by another senior lecturer from the
University of Ghana, Legon Prof Henrietta Mensah-Bonsu, a law lecturer on the
panel to be chaired by the retired Supreme Court Justice, K.E. Amua Sekyi. The
other members include General Erskine, Mrs Sylvia Awo Mansah Boye, Bishop
Charles Palmer-Buckle, Prof Florence Abena Dolphyne, Christian Appia-Agyei and
Maulvi Wahab Adam.
A
government source said, “The Commission is being set up now so that they can
begin the necessary exercise to formulate the secretariat before it begins a
sitting.” The secretariat will be headed by Ken Attafuah, a director of CHRAJ.
The Reconciliation Act 2002 seeks to reconcile the nation by making
non-punitive amends for the victims of military rule.
The
specific periods of reference are the military regimes beginning from the first
military coup in Ghana in 1966. These are from 24 February 1966 to 21 August
1969; 13 January 1972 to 23 September 1979, and 31 December 1981 to 6 January
1993. Moreover, the Commission is empowered by the Act to consider individual
cases that fall outside the specific periods of reference but happened after 6
March 1957.
It is
recalled that the transitional provisions of all the three Constitutions
succeeding a military regime prevented any court of law from questioning the
legality or otherwise of the human rights violations committed by agents of
state at the time. – The Statesman.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - For all the furore and hullabaloo caused, it
appears that there may be no basis for the Supreme Court to review its decision
in the case of Tsatsu Tsikata versus Attorney-General in which the Supreme
Court decided by a five-four majority that the Fast Track High Courts
established by Chief Justice Edward Wiredu were unconstitutional and illegal.
Ghana
Palaver research has uncovered a case in which the Supreme Court considered
in-depth the circumstances under which an application for a review of a case
may be entertained by the Supreme Court. The case is Odonkor and Others versus
Amartei (No. 2) reported in the Ghana Bar Law Reports, cited as (1992-93) 2 GBR
at 653.
In that
case, a seven-member Supreme Court panel made up of Justices Francois, Wuaku,
Amua-Sakyi, Aikins, Wiredu, Bamford-Addo and Hayfron-Benjamin, held that a
review was not generally an appropriate forum for revisiting a judgement either
to elaborate on statements made or to criticise.
The only
permissible areas of discussion related to exceptional circumstances and
interests resulting in grave miscarriage of justice and the need for the
reversal of the judgement in the interest of justice.
The court
would not review its decision where it was sought to re-open the case and
prosecute an appeal in the guise of a review, or repeat arguments already
offered at the bearing of the appeal, or raise fresh matters that could have
been raised in the appeal, or to interpret previous decisions of the court with
a view to breaking new grounds.
In that
case, the applicants (Odonkor and Others) who had lost in succession in the
High Court, Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court applied for a review of the
decision of the Supreme Court. His Lordships by a unanimous 7-0 decision dismissed
the application.
In a very
revealing judgement, Chief Justice Edward Wiredu, then a Justice of the Supreme
Court only, stated at page 666 that “a careful examination of the law…reveals a
cardinal principle of preserving the effect of the solemn judgement thus
pronounced save in exceptional circumstances resulting in grave injustice. This
principle recognises the finality of the judgement thus declared.
Francois
JSC, however, gave a judgement which is most opposite to the intended review of
the Tsatsu Tsikata Case, especially in relation to the possibility of new
judges being added to the original judges who heard the case.
He said at
page 657: “The provision in the Constitution allowing for an enlarged Bench in
reviews does not transform the court into an appellate Bench. A review to
address a patent or evident error is an application to the court to correct its
own error. Obviously then, if an enhanced panel adds its weight to the minority
to convert a previous minority judgement to one of majority, with judges not
shifting their stance or their view of the law, for instance, the result
becomes unacceptable because the exercise ceases to be one of a court
correcting its own error, but becomes an appeal with a differently constituted
panel sitting in judgement over its peers and postulating better knowledge of
the law.
In a
related development, Ghana Palaver has also discovered that there is a Practice
Direction from the Supreme Court published in the 1987-88, Volume 2 edition of
the Ghana Law Reports, at page 274 in which the learned judges have
categorically stated that: “The only ground for review is that the
circumstances are exceptional and that in the interest of justice there should
be a review.” – Ghana Palaver.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - Ministry of Information spokesman, Ferdinand
Ayim, has disclosed that one Seidu has also been arrested in a Yendi-bound bus
for possessing two locally manufactured pistols.
According
to him, even though there is no evidence, which immediately implicates him in
the conflict, the security officers are detaining him for interrogation to know
why he was in possession of such weapons in the conflict area.
In another
development, Mr Ayim, who is also a special assistant to the Minister of
Information and Presidential Affairs, added that the Tamale police on Monday
began interrogating the two suspects who were earlier arrested in connection
with the Yendi massacre. He noted that the police have put in place credible
mechanisms to test every information that they gather in the course of their
investigations.
“Merely
mentioning names of people is not enough, the information must be subject to
critical testing,” he said. Mr Ayim also disclosed that the military in Yendi
also supervised the burial of one of the victims who sustained serious injuries
during the conflict. He added that the victim passed away after a brief
admission at a hospital.
Speaking to
reporters at the daily press briefing on the Yendi conflict, Mr Ayim also
announced that three very competent and highly knowledgeable police personnel,
including Chief Supt. V.D.K. Dzakpata and Supt. A.K. Darkie, have been
dispatched to the conflict area to spearhead the investigations into the
massacre.
According
to him, since the curfew was imposed under the State of Emergency in Yendi,
there have been about 56 curfew breakers, out of which 42 people are to be
arraigned before court. Mr Ayim, however, explained that the reasons attributed
to the breaking of the curfew, ranged from going out to buy cigarette, fetching
water to buying food.
He gave the
assurance that despite the existing curfew, the general atmosphere in Yendi is
one of calm and with the onset of the rains farmers have begun returning to
their farms to prepare their land for planting. Continuing, Mr Ayim hinted that
the Minority in Parliament are currently on a visit to the conflict area to get
first hand information and on-the-spot accounts of the conflict. – The
Chronicle.
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Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 09 April 2002 - A team of auditors from the Auditor-General’s
Department is to embark upon thorough investigations into the financial
operations of the Kumasi Abattoir Company Limited (KACL).
The team
will examine the company’s accounting records, vouchers and statements from
1998 to date. The probe is occasioned by a directive by the Minister of
Finance, following the wrongful dismissal of Mr Maxwell K. Awuku, the
administrative manager of KACL.
Bank
statements, cash book ledgers, journals, petty cash books, invoices, audited
statements of accounts and minutes of board meetings have to be made available
for examination, Mr Edward Dua Agyemang, the acting Auditor-General, has directed
per letter of 28 February 2002 with reference AGO4/28/Vol.II/210.
The
exercise comes after the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) had issued a report last
November, which completely exonerated the managing director of the Abattoir
company, Mr K. Agyenim Boateng, from charges of financial improprieties
levelled against him. But for impediments put in the way of the auditors by
Agyenim Boateng, the investigators might have commenced work on 11 March, this
year, Chronicle gathered.
Agyenim
Boateng has refused a request by the A-G to suspend the termination notice
served on Awuku to enable him (Awuku) assist in the investigations. Explaining
why the investigators could not commence the probe as scheduled, the managing
director said he did not have the authority to permit the auditors to carry out
the intended exercise.
On 4 March,
this year, Agyenim Boateng directed the A-G to the company’s Board of
Directors, according to a correspondence with reference KACL/STF3/66/02.
Chronicle gathered that the managing director is moving fast to avoid a second
probe after the controversial SFO report last October.
Agyenim
Boateng rushed to Accra on 3 April, this year, accompanied by his production
manager, with all the books to be examined, even when the A-G had rescheduled
the exercise for Monday 8 April in Kumasi. The A-G insists on proceeding with
the conduct of the investigations, in spite of manoeuvres by Agyenim Boateng.
According
to a letter with reference AG/04/28/Vol II/231, dated 26 March 2002, he insists
on the investigations on the premise that available records have indicated that
the Government of Canada had provided equipment costing 4.3 million Canadian
dollars to KACL, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The letter
explained that projects funded by donors, whether by way of loans or grants,
are still Ghana Government funds under Article 176 of the Constitution and,
therefore, covered the constitutional mandate of the A-G. On 18 October last year,
the SFO leaked the report of its findings on financial operations of KACL to
the press before it was officially issued in November the same year.
The said
report exonerated the managing director from any wrongdoing against evidence
tendered by witnesses who testified before the SFO. The report, signed by the
former executive director of SFO, Mr B.A. Sapati, per letter SFO/ED/004/VOL4/22
dated November 2001, did not make any significant findings in the face of
serious allegations.
It had been
alleged that among other financial deals, an amount of ¢30 million had been
withdrawn to pay an importer for the supply of 50,000 pellets to the company at
¢450 per pellet. Instead of ¢22.5 million for the transaction, the managing
director withdrew ¢30 million and loaded the difference of ¢7.5 million on his
personal Sika Card.
But the SFO
said all was well because there was no evidence that the managing director
misappropriated company funds, after conceding he inappropriately transacted
business on behalf of the company with his personal loaded SSB Sika Card. The
SFO rather blamed the management of KACL for not ensuring adequate financial
and accounting procedures and transparency in the operations of most
transactions, thus leading to wanton speculations and suspicions.
The review
of the SFO probe by the A-G is seen as an indictment on the state investigative
machine. “It is the first time it has happened and this is an indication that
something went wrong in its investigations.
Meanwhile,
Agyenim Boateng, priding himself on the SFO report, has brought a legal suit
against Awuku for defamation. The dismissed administrative manager has since
entered appearance and filed his defence against Agyenim Boateng’s defence.
Awuku, believing that the SFO report was based on distortions and twisted
facts, has subpoenaed all evidence given by witness at the SFO probe. Evidence
by key witnesses from the Engineering Departments of KACL were never used by
the SFO,” Awuku has claimed. – The Chronicle.
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Sekondi
(Western Region) 09 April 2002 - Ms Tabitha Quaye, Western Regional
Vice-Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a former Member
for Takoradi, last week announced she would contest the post of National
Women’s Organiser of the NDC at the party’s delegates Congress scheduled for
Saturday 27 April in Accra.
Ms Quaye
told the Ghana Palaver her objective to contest the position is to unite all
women under one umbrella to combat poverty, spousal murders and all the
negative tendencies militating against women in the country. She said since
women form the majority of the membership of the public, she would leave no
stone unturned to enlighten them and will change their negative attitude
towards national development.
The former
MP said, if elected, she would embark on a nationwide tour of the 200
constituencies to conscientise women on the need to remain resolute behind the
NDC, adding that “there is no doubt that the NDC with a strong and confident
executive in place after the delegates congress, can wrestle power from the NPP
in the 2004 elections with ease.” – Ghana Palaver.
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Ho (Volta Region) 09 April 2002 - The Volta Region Students Association Ghana (VORSAG) has expressed concern about the attitude of some prominent people, political heads and Members of Parliament (MPs) from the region who are bent on frustrating every move to bring development and awareness to the region.
“It is regrettable, yet a fact that, most of our elders and leaders in the society today have actually been a disappointment. They exhibit unconcerned attitude towards anything good about the region and are actually bad examples for the present day youth to emulate,” it stressed.
The sentiments were expressed by the immediate past president of the association, Mr Wisdom Cudjoe, when he addressed the inauguration and maiden congress of VORSAG at Ho during the weekend. Under the theme: “Role of students and the youth in developing the Volta Region”, a 10-member national executive was sworn into office by Mr Justice T.K. Adzoe, a Supreme Court Judge as part of the three-day congress.
They include Mr Innocent Eddah, president, Mr David Dagadu, first vice-president, Miss Imelda Amekugee, second vice-president, Mr Robert Butta, secretary, Mr Emmanuel Drayi, financial secretary and Miss Mercy Ahegbebu, women’s co-ordinator.
Mr Cudjoe cited an example when he alleged that a letter inviting the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama as the guest of honour for the ceremony sent through the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) at Ho never reached him when a follow-up was done by the association.
He indicated that the invitation letter was missing and when he made enquiries, an official at the RCC queried why the Vice-President should be invited for such ‘a small function’ and wondered why the official who ought to know better should belittle the region and make such unguarded and irresponsible comments.
Mr Cudjoe attributed the situation to sabotage being perpetuated by a group of people with a hidden motive to demoralise the Association. He, therefore, called for a full scale investigation into the disgraceful and unprofessional act at the VRCC since that was the second time in less than five months that letters sent to top government officials were claimed to be missing at the RCC.
The immediate past president noted that the youth were bent on sustaining the fundamental aims and objectives upon which the Association had been formed and appealed to benevolent societies and philanthropists to assist the association financially to make the Volta Region one of the gateways to information technology in the country. Mr Kofi Dzamesi, the Deputy Regional Minister, cautioned against using the association for ulterior motives, rather they should be proactive, non-partisan and apolitical to the development of the region.
“If any Association that should be neutral in order to be able to deliver as expected of it turns to be partisan and politicking, that association would be doomed to failure,” he warned but pointed out that individual members of any association that were not barred from getting involved in partisan politics had the right to pursue their own political ambitions but independent of their association. Mr Dzamesi advised VORSAG to be devoid of any divisive and political tendencies and the must be directed towards the upliftment of the region.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Eddah debunked the notion that the association was formed to fight authorities or incite tribal sentiments and assured the people of the region to dialogue and be partners in development efforts of the country. Togbega Gabusu VI, president of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, entreated students to desist from sowing seeds of discord and provocative acts to sustain the peace, unity and stability prevailing in the country.
Earlier, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the late Dr (Mrs) Esther Ocloo, an eminent industrialist and philanthropist who mooted the idea of the association 30 years ago on the University of Ghana, Legon campus. – The Evening News.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 09 April 2002 - An economic forum to
maximise Ashanti Region’s contribution to national economic development took
off in Kumasi on Monday. The forum is being held under the auspices of
Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in line with his vision to strengthen the
regional as well as national economy to generate employment for the youth to
raise their living standards.
It is also complementary to Otumfuo’s investment promotion endeavours to
examine ways to reinvigorate the region’s economy to hasten national economic
recovery. The forum also forms part of activities to mark the third anniversary
of Otumfuo’s ascension to the Golden Stool.
According to Mr Isaac Darkwa, Managing Director of Compass Ventures, organisers
of the forum, Ashanti can be said to be the backbone of the nation’s economy
being a major producer of important export commodities of cocoa, gold and
timber. He said the forum will thus provide the business community with the
opportunity to review Ghana’s investment regime, analyse the problems facing
their respective businesses and discuss possible solutions and to become aware
of the investment opportunities in the Ashanti Region.
Mr Darkwa said the forum would also help identify and access
sources of finance for new investments as well as for expanding existing
businesses. He said the forum will attract economic policy makers, implement
agencies, members of trade and industry associations selected diplomatic
missions, donor agencies, NGOs and the representatives of Asantes in the
Diaspora.
He said the forum will also provide opportunities for participants to interact
with business experts from the public and private sectors as well as the
country’s top bankers and financial service providers. President Kufuor or his
representative is expected to open the forum. Papers would be presented on how
to effectively create enabling policy and infrastructural environment, take a
look at the way forward vis-à-vis sectoral problems and solutions, investment
opportunities and financing investment and business expansion.
Mr Kwasi Abeasi, Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre will
talk on “investment framework and policy options for non-mining sector”, while
Mr Ben Aryee, the Chief Executive of the Minerals Commission discusses that of
the mining sector.
Mr Maxwell Jumah, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, speaks on the role of
the District Assemblies in Promoting Socio-economic Development. Mr Kwadwo
Atuahene, Executive Director of the Ghana Free Zone Board will present a paper
on the role of Free Zone in attracting investments into Ashanti. Other
discussions will be on how to create the enabling infrastructure environment.
The Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Cooperation and Chairman of the
National Development Planning Commission, Dr Kwesi Nduom, will give an overview
of infrastructure development in Ashanti for the present and future.
Other areas to feature in the discussions will include,
future water and power supply in the region, telecommunications for development,
the Boankra Inland Port and how to facilitate international trade. The forum
will further look at prospects for upgrading the Kumasi Airport into an
international airport.
The forum will also discuss agriculture, timber, manufacturing, mining,
tourism, small-scale industries and development and the environment. Mr Darkwa
said the Forestry Commission and Ecobank are major sponsors of the forum. –
Daily Graphic
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - The EGLE Party will
put up candidates to contest the presidential and parliamentary elections in
the 2004 elections. “We will never agree to proposals by any party to step down
our candidates for theirs in future elections as happened in the past two polls
since 1992,” it said.
The Vice-Chairman of the party, Alhaji Rahman Jamatutu, said
this at a meeting of the party in Accra. According to him election arrangements
brokered between the party and others in the Progressive Alliance in the past
considerably affected its efforts to assert itself as a formidable political
force on the country’s political scene.
“Such arrangements between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the EGLE
Party to step down our candidates prior to the conduct of national polls, to a
considerable degree, weakened our front and bolstered that of our senior
political partner, the NDC,” Alhaji Jamatutu said.
The EGLE Vice-Chairman explained that the party always had to succumb to the
wishes of the NDC for the simple reason that it was largely dependent on the
NDC for its financial sustenance. “Our over-dependence on the NDC for financial
assistance undoubtedly paved the way for its leadership to dictate to us the
focus and direction of the party’s operations and organisation,” Alhaji
Jamatutu said.
He said the EGLE Party is seriously consulting sympathisers and admirers of the
party who are willing to offer logistical and financial help to enhance its
operations throughout the 200 constituencies in the country.
Alhaji Jamatutu said the EGLE Party has lots of goodwill among the vast
majority of the electorate who have pledged to rally behind the national
leadership if it severs its links with other partners of the alliance and stand
firmly on its own feet.
He said the next one-and-half years will be a very busy period for the party
since the national and regional executive will embark on programmes to educate
the people about its manifesto, which he said, holds the key to the country’s
development and prosperity.
Alhaji Jamatutu called on the rank and file of the party to keep faith with the
leadership, which he said has put in measures to reactivate the party’s
structures throughout the country in preparation towards the next general
elections. – Daily Graphic.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - Kwaku Omari, 57, who shot and killed his wife and sister -in-law at the Gaskia area at Sabon Zongo in Accra, on Monday made a second appearance at the James Town Circuit Tribunal.
Omari, the spectacle repairer, who is on provisional charge of murder, was on March 25 remanded into custody until last Monday by the tribunal, chaired by Mrs Jennifer Tagoe. His plea was not taken.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Osei Assibe, told the tribunal when the case was mentioned on Monday that the docket on the case was still at the law office of the Police and that when it was ready, it would be forwarded to the Attorney-General’s office for advice. The Tribunal chairman, adjourned the case again until April 29, 2002.
Omari was said to have shot and killed his wife, Jane Abena Boatemaa, 35, and her sister Obaa Yaa, in an angry mood, after he accused his wife of being unfaithful to him. He also shot a third person, Kwame Asante, who was treated and discharged at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Omari, later attempted to commit suicide by killing himself but was only injured in the jaw by the bullet.
When he was first arraigned before the tribunal, the prosecution informed the tribunal that Omari was still receiving daily medical treatment at the Korle-Bu teaching Hospital and that he was due for an operation to remove a piece of metal embedded in his jaw. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 09 April 2002 - Two cousins, Daniel Adu, 36, and Kwadwo Oppong 35, both residents of Kumasi, accused of attempting to murder another cousin, Mr Joseph Osei Nimo, also known as Akwasi Nimo, 35, a Kumasi businessman, through poisoning in connection with a dispute over a family land appeared before a Kumasi Circuit Tribunal for the third time on Friday.
Their plea was not taken and they were remanded in custody until Wednesday. The adjournment was to enable the police to collect the report of the forensic laboratory analysis of the exhibit of a malt drink, which was allegedly laced with poison and given to Mr Nimo to drink.
According to the prosecution, Mr Nimo had for the past 19 years cultivated oil palm covering about four acres on a portion of a family land at his hometown, Praso, near Lake Bosomtwe. None of the family members raised a finger against the project until a few years ago, when the palm tress started bearing fruits.
Mr Nimo who is resident at Atonsu-Agogo, a suburb of Kumasi, was at home at about 6.30 am on 24th March 2002, when his cousin, Adu, residing at Amakom in Kumasi called saying that he had been asked by their elder cousin, Amo Ayim to invite him (Nimo) to a family meeting at Ayim’s Abropo-Asubonteng residence in Kumasi.
At Ayim’s residence, he (Ayim) asked him why he (Nimo) cultivated a portion of the family land and later served him with a bottle of malt drink, which tasted unusually bitter. After drinking a quantity of the malt, Mr Nimo started complaining of dizziness, stomach pains and general weakness and suspecting that the drink had been laced with poison, asked Ayim, Adu and Oppong why they wanted to kill him.
Ayim left the hall and was followed by Oppong and Adu but he (Nimo) managed to get outside where two men, Mr Daniel Botchway Pobee and Mr Akwasi Agyeman, who were returning home after worshiping at the Abropo-Asubonteng Presbyterian Church, rushed him to the nearby County Hospital.
Adu and Oppong who allegedly stormed the hospital demanding that Mr Nimo be released to them were immediately arrested by the Suame police who had been alerted. Ayim who is resident abroad but came home on holidays went into hiding soon after the incident and has managed to return to his base. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 April 2002 - Last Friday, 5 April, Mr Samuel Appiah-Ampofo, former National Insurance Commissioner, was pronounced guilty by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for collecting over US$96,500 kickbacks from Aon, an insurance company.
Giving the ruling in the presence of the Editor-in-Chief of The Crusading Guide, Mr Kweku Baako Jnr., Appiah-Ampofo, his lawyer and wife, CHRAJ vindicated The Crusading Guide for all the publications of acts of corruption against him (Appiah-Ampofo).
Following a series of publications by this paper in respect of alleged malfeasance by Appiah-Ampofo, it (paper) petitioned CHRAJ to investigate the allegations and bring him to book. After the Commission had swung into action, it invited both parties- Baako (representing this paper) and Appiah-Ampofo- for hearing of the case over a period of time which terminated in the verdict last Friday.
In the 25-31 January 2001 edition of the paper, it was intimated that the former Insurance Commissioner had succeeded in replacing the former insurance brokers of Ghana Airways, Bowring (aka Marsh Ltd) with another insurance company called Aon. The story had stated further that based on a deal between the new company and Appiah-Ampofo, an amount of US$96,500 was paid to him as commission between 1995 and 1998.
A document attached to a letter written to the then Chief Executive of Ghana Airways, Mr E.L. Quartey (now resigned) dated 4 January, 2001, and signed by one Mr Garrick R. Hitchen on behalf of Marsh, had maintained that one Mr. Edward Grant Whytock, a broker working as a Consultant to the Aviation division of Nicholson Leslie Ltd – now part of the Aon Group Ltd – met the former Insurance Commissioner in London in 1985.
It alleged that, “further to discussions, it was agreed that in the event that the Commissioner was able to assist in the introduction of new business to Nicholson Leslie, he would be remunerated by the company with a share of the resulting commission”.
Appiah-Ampofo however, refuted these and other allegations in an interview with this reporter. Obviously incensed by the denial, another source vehemently challenged the former National Insurance Commissioner (then substantive Insurance boss) saying, “Mr Commissioner should address the US$96,500 bribery scandal and stop beating around the bush”.
The source revealed that Appiah-Ampofo organised a meeting on 2 May, 1995 at his Marble House Conference room among he NIC, Ghanair, SIC and Ghana-Re to discuss alleged complaints by Ghanair on their insurance placements.
According to an insurance executive who was present at the meeting, “it was evidently clear that the Insurance Commissioner had taken an extremely entrenched position in the issue of replacing Ghanair’s insurance brokers”. Details of last Friday’s judgement will be published in the Thursday edition. – The Crusading Guide
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