Tsatsu’s victories - NPP government machine to blame
Social Security Trust fires Vanef boss
Top Social Security Trust man takes ¢90m a month
Kofi Wayo hails Dan-Dapaah, rubbishes Tony Aidoo’s assertions
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 April 2002 - Mr Frederick F. Anto, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, says there is no justification in the call for the resignation of the Attorney-General (A-G) and Minister of Justice.
“I don’t think the A-G should resign. He is doing his best,” Anto replied to Chronicle enquiries over the performance of the Justice Minister in relation to former GNPC boss Tsatsu Tsikata’s legal breakthroughs. The party chairman rather blamed the NPP for not playijg its card well. “As a party the NPP did not do well.”
According to Anto, the NPP knew the Supreme Court is allegedly packed with NDC sympathisers and yet did not act to counter the obvious. Membership of the Supreme Court panel is unlimited so the government should have added more judges to the panel, Anto observed, adding that Tsikata has been charged with economic crimes against the state. Therefore, riding at the back of technicalities would not guarantee his freedom.
On his part, Mr George Ayisi-Boateng, a founding member of the NPP, said no individual should be blamed for the two defeats at the hands of Tsikata. “The entire government machine is to blame.” Ayisi-Boateng said the efficiency and proactiveness of the law office should be questioned.
He advised that the AG’s office should wake up from its slumber and see the Tsikata case as a test case for the nation, the government and all. He, however, said it was too early to call for the AG’s resignation or removal. The AG as a person should not be complacent since he is one of the best legal brains but must be proactive and handle cases in such a way that the state would not suffer any more embarrassment.
“Ghanaians have faith and trust in him (Nana Akufo Addo) as a legal luminary and he must work hard to be seen as such.” According to Ayisi-Boateng, the two defeats have put the nation into a state of confusion and this should not be allowed to continue.
With regard to Tsikata’s legal exploits, he implored the NPP to respect its principle of the rule of law and accept the defeat in good faith. The case under review, he advised, should be an eye-opener for the government to effect necessary changes. Referring to Apollo 568, Ayisi-Boateng cautioned that history is not on the government’s side and admonished it against a complete shakeup at the law office.
Sampling views from the other side of the political divide, Alhaji Moro Mohammed, former NDC MP for Asokwa East, said in spite of the success at invoking the constitutionality of the Fast Track Court to his advantage. Tsatsu should not go scot-free. “He must be dealt with according to existing law.”
Alhaji Mohammed asked the AG to honourably resign his post for the two defeats in a row at the hands of Tsatsu Tsikata, who is believed to have committed serious economic crimes against the state. The former MP suggested that the AG should be replaced as soon as possible to avoid further legal blunders and embarrassment to the government.
The government needs an AG who would not rush but meticulously study issues before taking decisions, a civil servant interviewed by the Chronicle suggested. “Two defeats in a row is unprecedented in the legal history of the nation,” the interviewee said.
A legal luminary in Kumasi, who spoke on the issue on condition of anonymity, criticised the stance of the Supreme Court. He pointed out that the position of some of the judges was in relation to the style of the Chief Justice and the inadequacies of the AG’s department. The Kumasi lawyer blamed the Chief Justice (CJ) and described him as not up to the task.
The CJ was also rebuked for personally making public the decision of the majority. “For a CJ not to have anticipated the barometer of the case amounts to taking the nation for a ride and he must be brought to book for his indifference in the case.”
The legal mind suggested a replacement of the AG who, he said, only delights in the niceties of the job. The AG who the interviewee claims everybody thinks he is a legal brain, is accused of not keeping a watching brief. According to the interviewee, although many regard the AG as a legal giant, it is alleged that he is always delegating his lieutenants to court without proper preparations only to go to court and goof. “There is no serious challenge to the AGs department,” he concluded.
The lawyer attributed the woes of the present government to the incompetence of the AGs office and said Akufo-Addo ought to have resigned after the second defeat at the hands of Tsatsu. Explaining, the Kumasi lawyer said the AG is not a repository of legal knowledge and attributed this to pride.
Turning to Tsatsu’s victory, the lawyer said the breakthrough is a political strategy for NDC’s hidden agenda. “His (Tsatsu’s) bravado has empowered those “men of integrity” who under normal circumstances, should have been sobered by the revelations at the court,” he explained. – The Ghanaian Chronicle.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 26 April 2002 - A protracted legal battle, during which the government’s Golden Age of Business Policy might be seriously bruised, looms over the decision of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), to terminate the appointment of James Owusu Bonsu as Chief Executive of Vanef Consortium Limited, the company that currently operates the divested State Transport Company.
Public Agenda can report authoritatively that at a chaotic Board meeting in Accra on Friday 19 April, Vanef Consortium Limited, the company cobbled together by Owusu Bonsu to acquire the assets of STC and which SSNIT own 92.5 per cent, the Managing Director’s mandate to manage the company was abrogated provoking the former CEO to hint of seeking redress in court.
A copy of the minutes of the Board meeting obtained by Weekend Agenda from SSNIT sources said: “The Chairman stated that as earlier indicated, he had received a response from SSNIT management in respect of the final Report of the Board sent to the Director-General and the letter of response had indicated that James Owusu-Bonsu should be given notice that the management Service Agreement executed between himself and the Consortium would not be renewed upon expiry on the 31 May 2002.
“The Director-General had therefore indicated that immediate steps should be taken by the Board to enable him act accordingly.” The meeting asked the Chief Executive to hand over his duties to G.K. Owusu, a member of the Board with immediate effect. James Owusu-Bonsu should hand over his duties to G.K. Owusu, a member of the Board today, 19th day of April 2002 who would be assuming duty immediately and the said G.K. Owusu is, hereby empowered to pay all cash remuneration due James Owusu-Bonsu to him.
The meeting asked for the immediate removal of the signature of James Owusu-Bonsu from all Vanef Consortium’s bank accounts. “It was further resolved as following: That the signature of James Owusu-Bonsu at all the Bankers of Vanef Consortium Limited should be deleted and replaced with that of G.K. Owusu with immediate effect.
“It was emphasized as a matter of clarity that the foregoing resolutions were by a majority of five (5) to one (1) and were duly adopted by the Board.” This followed immediately after the CEO had outlined his vision for improving staff morale. According to the minutes, the CEO informed members that negotiations for salary review started on 18 April. He added that management had sought assistance from the Employers Association and had been advised that salary review for most organisations had been within the range of 17-25 per cent.
He added that management was therefore anticipating a maximum increase of up to 20 per cent.” On Monday 22 April, a letter of dismissal, signed by S. Sekyere-Abankwa, dated 19 April and copied to the Director-General of SSNIT and Richard Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport among others was handed over to the former CEO.
Captioned ‘Termination of Appointment’ the letter stated: “This is to inform you that at the 12th meeting of Board of Directors of the Vanef Consortium Ltd held in Accra, on 19 April 2002 at which you were present, the Board decided that the Management Services Agreement entered into between Vanef Consortium and your good self on 1 June 2000 and due to expire on 31 May 2002 would not be renewed.
“Accordingly, your appointment as Managing Director would be terminated effective 1 June 2002. You would, continue to remain a Director of the Company. You are, therefore, to proceed on your accumulated annual leave on 26 April 2002. You are to hand over your duties to G.K. Owusu, who would be assuming duty immediately. Please ensure that you prepare adequate and detailed handing over notes.”
On the manner of termination of appointment, the 19 April Board minutes states: “The CEO should have been given three months notice of termination. However, in lieu of that, a payment equal to the gross salary that the Managing Director would have received under the balance of the notice period to which the Managing Director would be entitled to shall be paid to him.”
Reached for comment, the Public Affairs Director of SSNIT told Weekend Agenda that James Owusu-Bonsu has not been dismissed. The only thing SSNIT has done is not to renew the contract which expires on 31 May. Asked to give reasons for the action, the Public Affairs Director told this paper that he learned from Board members of the company that the action was informed by the totality of performance.
Evidence on the ground, though, belies the explanation. Since James Owusu-Bonsu took over the running of the fleet of buses and haulage trucks, Vanef/STC has made huge strides.
Literature obtained by Agenda on performance indicate that STC lost over ¢175 million in 1994, ¢2.2 billion in 1995, ¢6 billion in 1996, ¢5.9 billion in 1997, made profit of ¢302 million in 1998, ¢496 million in 1999 and lost ¢1.8 billion from January to May of 2000 before James Owusu-Bonsu took over with Vanef Consortium Ltd on 1 June 2000. For the second half of 2000 that Vanef ran STC, the company recorded a pre-tax profit of ¢9 billion. From 1 January to 31 December 2001, pre-tax reached ¢13 billion.
When Vanef took over on 1 June with 97 buses of an average age of 5.8 years, 17 terminals, five commissioned agent locations and 539 staff. The former STC had a staff strength of 727. Operating on 22 routes and an average of 88 departures, the average number of buses on the road increased by 22 per cent from 59 buses operated daily by the former STC for the same period to 72 buses daily.
The number of journeys made increased by seven per cent to 36,512 trips as at 31 May 2001. “Total revenue for the period was ¢47 billion, an improvement of 54 per cent on the performance of the former STC.
On the future direction of the company, a literature obtained by Agenda on plans outlined by the Owusu-Bonsu administration stated: “A comprehensive review of all operating procedures is underway to infuse a culture of cost consciousness and customer focus on all activities. All terminals are undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation to halt further deterioration and improve image.” There are indication that the termination saga would play on. – Weekend Agenda.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 26 April 2002 - May Day is just around the corner, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) is calling on government to announce a new minimum wage, but while the government is foot dragging on the issue, workers of SSNIT are complaining of outrageous salaries paid to their top management staff.
The SNNIT workers, who are currently in negotiations with management have expressed their dissatisfaction with the outrageous salaries dished out to some management personnel appointed recently by the New Patriotic Party government.
Voicing out their frustration with their current levels of salaries, a section of the dissatisfied workers told the ‘Ghana Palaver,” if the current level of salaries at the top is allowed SSNIT would be chastised by the public for wasting workers money they are supposed to be the custodian.
The NPP Government is conducting a ‘forensic audit’ into the affairs of SSNIT during the NDC era. “Forensic audit” is the NPP Government’s political euphemism for investigations into companies whose managements are suspected of having pro-NDC sympathies and who must therefore be removed from office and possibly put before the unconstitutional and illegal Fast Track High Courts.
The administrative equivalent of “forensic audit” are the “proceed on leave” orders to top public and civil servants who are then made never to return, being retired “in the interest of public policy,” according to then Chief of Staff, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey’s letters of termination to them.
The NPP Government has also removed from office the entire top hierarchy of the Trust who were at post in the period of the NDC. In their places have been imported “brand new whiz kids”, from abroad, mainly the USA, who were most strident in their condemnation of the NDC and their support of the NPP whiles abroad and who were also in the forefront of mobilising illegal funds for the NPP’s 2000 campaign.
As Director-General (DG), replacing the irrepressible and affable Charles Asare, is Mr Kwasi Osei, a USA import. He really must be a genius, for his salary, quoted in US dollars, is a whopping $12,500 per month, or about ¢90 million. That works out to $150,000 per year or ¢1.08 billion per annum.
We may stop and ask. The workers whose contributions whiz kid Osei is looking after and who therefore pay his salary, how much do they earn? And how much does the President of Ghana earn? Mr Kwasi Osei’s Deputy is Mr Ras Boateng, the Deputy Director-General. He is also a USA import. He is paid $8,500 or ¢64 million per month. That works out to $102,000 or ¢775.2 million per annum.
To help Mr Ras Boateng to relocate in Ghana, that is pay the cost of shipping his baggage, SSNIT spent a whopping ¢250 million. As they say, “money swine.” Who says the “Golden Age of Business” is not here? But of course, it is not here for everybody. After all, all the fingers are not equal. And Ghanaian workers at home are content with their lot.
As one NPP sycophant rationalised it, “Were the stay-at-home Ghanaian workers not the ones who stayed behind and helped the PNDC/NDC destroy the economy? And if their compatriots abroad have come back to help “fix” the economy and are paid in the billions and the hundreds of millions of cedis, why should the “stay-at-home Ghanaian workers” complain? They should rather count their blessings.”
When contacted, a management staff of SSNIT could not deny or confirm the above but admitted paying for Mr Ras Boateng’s shipping and CEPS charge saying “we made a deposit on account of ¢120 million to CEPS and not ¢250 million. – Ghana Palaver.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 26 April 2002 - Kofi Wayo, an outspoken champion of the plight of the poor, has giving a warm welcome to a message given to Ghanaians on Wednesday by the man he never shies away from criticising, Albert Kan-Dapaah.
The Minister of Energy said at the launch of a national energy efficiency awareness in Accra last Wednesday that “under no circumstance shall the government permit the passing on of the inefficiencies of the utilities to consumers.” The lights remarkably went out during the programme, an unwelcome reminder to the minister of the sector’s difficulties.
Kan-Dapaah laid the woeful supply of electricity at the doorsteps of the people in control, citing, among others, mismanagement of the Akosombo. Wayo, often criticising the NPP administration of what he calls ‘irresponsive governance,’ has, nevertheless in recent weeks, shown some remarkable maturity- as he did in a radio interview this week- in his public utterances by being more appreciative of the depth of the problems, which the Kufuor’s administration inherited.
Dr Tony Aidoo, a deputy minister in the previous government, was also on radio earlier on Monday accusing this government as “anti-social.” He explained this with the claim that the government has shown little care for the welfare of the people of Ghana. He cited increases in fuel prices, as well as “utility services.”
Kofi Wayo during his radio interview wondered if Tony Aidoo is at all “a serious character?” He conceded, “Tony Aidoo is saying the right thing at the right time,” referring to what he said was the NDC’s neglect of the masses when they were in power. “I wish Tony Aidoo had understood democracy when he was in power; and had shown a little concern for the ordinary man and woman. Where was their knowledge of all this democratic utterances of theirs now when they were in power?” asked he.
On Tony Aidoo’s claims that Kufuor’s government has ‘spoiled the economic foundation for this nation,’ Kofi Wayo replied, almost screaming the words out: “there was no foundation.” Repositioning himself on his swivel chair he continued, “Do you call hyperinflation a foundation? Is begging the whole world for money to put up a borehole in Wale Wale (a town in the Northern Region) a foundation? Is leaving the business community with interest rates above 50 per cent on loans a foundation? When parents have to sell their blood in order to pay a fraction of their school fees, do you call that a foundation. When you make education almost inaccessible to the majority of Ghanaians and quietly send your children to schools overseas, does your dictionary define that as a foundation? Can someone please tell the NDC not to abuse the wonderful air of freedom of speech that we are all enjoying?
Behaving as if his target was sitting next to him, Kofi Wayo said, “Tony, I’m glad that you are enjoying the democracy and the freedom that the NPP has sworn to defend. At least you today criticise all you want, no matter how baseless some may be and still go home at the end of the day to lie on your comfortable bed with the full assurance that no one would pistol-whip you for speaking your mind.”
Widening his attack, he added, “Rawlings and his cronies had close to twenty years to show what they could do and they didn’t do a thing! They left a legacy of disaster. Today thanks to the PNDC/NDC our country is littered with the graves of innocent people. Our streets are littered with graduates of NDC University – and the degree they got qualifies them for nothing but poverty – abject poverty – hopelessness, diseases, and the unfortunate refuge in crime as a way out. So for Tony Aidoo to describe my party in government as anti-social is really strange. Does Tony really understand English?”
Returning to his favourite topic, energy, Kofi Wayo said, “the assurance given by my good friend Kan-Dapaah on Wednesday to me goes a long way to answer Tony Aidoo’s charge that the government is ‘anti-social.’ My only hope is that we will be committed enough to assure the poor consumer that our words are not like the Humpty-Dumpties in the NDC, whose words only mean what they want it to mean.” – The Statesman.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 26 April 2002 - Following is a reaction from former Deputy Minister of Defence, Dr Tony Aidoo, to a story in Monday’s Public Agenda regarding comments purported to have been made by him against Dr Obed Asamoah.
I refer to the 22-28 April 2002 (Volume 8, Number 14) issue of your newspaper “Public Agenda” in which, you published on the front page and page 2 and with banner the headline, “Tony Aidoo attacks Obed” with sub-title “He used State funds to launch Veranda Boys & Girls’ Club.”
Your story, filed by one Amos Safo, claims that, Dr Aidoo on a radio interview, accused Dr Asamoah of using state resources to operate branches of the Veranda Boys and Girls Club in Ghana and Great Britain.”
Take note that I have not at any point in time and place stated that Dr Obed Asamoah used state funds to organise the Veranda Boys and Girls Club. The claim by Amos Safo, published by your newspaper to this effect is, therefore, false and vicious fabrication aimed at causing Dr Obed Asamoah, the NDC Party and myself considerable damage.
I am, hereby, demanding that you retract this malicious falsehood against Dr Obed Asamoah, the NDC Party and myself, within 72 hours of your receipt of this letter, which I am delivering to you personally. I expect your retraction of the falsehood and the rendering of appropriate apology, to appear on the Front Page of your paper with the same large and very prominent printing fonts that your used in the publication of the malicious falsehood. Hoping for your cooperation. – Weekend Agenda.
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