Korle-Bu in
ruins
TV3
ownership scandal - Malaysians demand money back
‘My Lord, I
am tired’ – Pleads Osafo Sampong
Over one
thousand grabbed for drugs last year - Board
Korle-Bu
in ruins
The
nation’s major health service provider, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, is
in a state of disrepair. The areas that need immediate rehabilitation include
the Department of Child Health, Radiology, the Polyclinic, and the Medical
Block. Established in the 1920s, the hospital has not seen any major
rehabilitation in recent years.
The Head of
the Department of Medicine, Professor Alfred R. Neequaye, who disclosed this in
an interview, appealed to the Ministry of Health to use the closure of the
Medical Block to mobilize the needed resources to refurbish the entire
hospital. Prof Neequaye acknowledged that refurbishment of the hospital will
require a huge amount of money and added that, “It will be in excess of 50 million
pounds sterling, which is more than the whole budgetary allocation for the
health sector.
He pointed
that the refurbishment of Korle-Bu was recommended as far back as July 1998 in
a proposed after a team of consultants were tasked to assess the level of
rehabilitation in the hospital. Prof Neequaye, therefore, urged government to
take bold initiatives to bring the hospital to modern standards, in order to
meet the demands of a teaching hospital.
He said the
present state of the hospital does not befit its status as the centre of
excellence for the training of health professionals for health institutions in
the country. Prof Neequaye described the closure of the Medical Block as a
painful decision but said, “we had to take the decision to save patients from
hospital acquired infections,” and expressed concern at the seeming neglect of
the hospital by governments.
He said
“the Cash and Carry System” is the main source of revenue used to run Korle-Bu,
and said if government does not intervene, the abolition of the system will put
the hospital in more serious financial problems. According to him, the country
abounds in many specialists and quite a number of them who are out of the
country are prepared to return home but cannot do so as a result of lack of equipment
to work with within the fields of their speciality.
“Conditions
such as Specialised Cardio Vascular Care, which are referred to countries like
Britain and South Africa at very high cost can be effectively managed by
specialists in the country in order to save cost,” Prof Neequaye said. He said
some of the equipment and buildings in some departments, have not seen any
rehabilitation including the medical block, which was established 40 years ago.
Prof Neequaye mentioned particularly the Children’s Block as one of the
departments, which need urgent attention.
Throwing
more light on the need for the closure of the Medical Block, he said the state
of the block poses a danger to patients and added that some of the buildings
are leaking and the sewage system is also blocked and that some pillars
supporting the block have been removed for safety reasons.
Prof
Neequaye assured the public that the Surgical Medical Emergency Ward is
functioning and that patients will be relocated to the wards, which were created
when some sections of the medical block were closed down some years ago. He
said the hospital now has fewer beds and cannot admit new patients, adding
that, “it has written to the 37 Military Hospital and Labadi Polyclinic to
cater for patients who the hospital cannot grant admission because of the
closure of the block. Prof Neequaye, who could not tell when the medical will
be reopened, explained that as things stand now, “it may take a long time.
More…/
British
Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, begins a three-day official visit to Ghana from
Thursday. The historic visit, the first since Harold Macmillan visited Ghana in
January 1960, will offer the platform for the two, countries to strengthen the
traditional relations between them.
The
three-day visit forms part of the British Prime Minister’s West African tour.
During his stay in Ghana, Mr Blair will hold extensive discussions with
President John Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, on wide-ranging bilateral and
multilateral issues, especially those which concern Ghana’s and indeed,
Africa’s economic and social development.
Government
sources said on Monday that apart from using the historic visit to strengthen
Britain’s relations with Ghana and indeed West Africa, Premier Blair is
expected to discuss in detail with President Kufuor the effects of the World
Trade Organisation on Ghana and the way forward.
Mr Blair is
also expected to use the opportunity to discuss with President Kufuor the
expectations of Ghana and other developing countries from the forthcoming G8
Summit in Canada, this year.
The British
Premier, who arrives on Thursday night, will visit the Armed Forces Staff and
Command College at Teshie, near Accra. President Kufuor and Premier Blair will
also visit the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) at Tafo after which
they will make a brief stop-over at Suhum, both in the Eastern Region, before
returning to Accra.
Relations
between Ghana and Great Britain have traditionally been excellent since Ghana
won independence from Britain on March 6, 1957. Last year, President Kufuor
visited twice, first on a state visit and also joined three other African Heads
of State and Prime Minister Blair at Chequois to look at Africa’s position on
the kind of assistance they will want from the G8 towards Africa’s development.
Statistics
indicate that Ghana is Britain’s second largest trading partner in Africa,
after South Africa. For many decades, trade has been on primary products such as
cocoa, gold, diamond, timber and bauxite.
More…/
The
management of Faith Brothers, a corporate advisory group, has stated that it
has never acted as a front for any government or public official in the process
of acquiring the National Investment Bank (NIB). The firm has also denied that
the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) stalled its attempt to acquire the bank.
The firm
was reacting to a publication in the Graphic issue of January 24, 2002 which
alleged among other things that the SFO stalled the intended sale of NIB to
Faith Brothers, and other reports that the company fronted for Mr Kwame Addo, a
former board member of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust
(SSNIT).
In a
statement, the company explained that the firm was established in March 1999,
to provide investment banking and corporate advisory services to the business
community.
It said the
rationale for the establishment of the company required that the firm has a
suitable balance sheet to achieve its objective. It noted that since Faith
Brothers was established with limited firms from Nana Asante Bediako and Mr
Mawuli Ababio, it made sense to acquire NIB which has both commercial and
development banking departments with a portfolio for equity investment.
The
statement said the decision to acquire NIB was taken in July 1999. “Indeed, the
Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) used to acquire NIB was set up in Delaware, USA,
on March 11, 1999, almost one month before the registration of Faith Brothers
itself in Ghana,” the statement said.
It said
when the investors were committed and agreed to take up shares in the SPV, an
application was made to the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) on April
7, 1999. The statement pointed out that it is on record both at DIC and the
Financial Sector Adjustment Programme (FINSAP) secretariat that the SPV had as
its shareholders Faith Brothers and Lincoln Trust Company Ltd., in their
capacity as sole corporate trustees of an offshore discretionary trust.
“To the
best of our knowledge and information, Lincoln Trust does not manage any funds
belonging to any Ghanaian, and certainly not Kwame Addo.”
The
statement explained that after winning the bid in a closed bidding process at a
price of $8,310,452 and paying a $1 million earnest money deposit to DIC, it
came to the notice of the firm that NIB had significant contingent liabilities
on its books which affected its value, hence the price to pay for it.
The
statement said this information was communicated to the DIC which agreed to
allow limited due diligent exercise to determine the extent of the liabilities.
This, the firm explained, was after the share purchase agreement had been
executed between Faith Investment and the DIC.
It said the
reason why this was done after the execution of the SPV and not before, is that
more of the potential investors were given time and access to NIB to perform
due diligence prior to submitting bids. The statement said following this,
Faith Brothers hired KPMG to conclude the due diligence, the results of which
indicated that the price Faith Brothers offered did not reflect the true value
of NIB.
It said
Faith Brothers asked DIC to reduce the price to reflect the true value of NIB
otherwise it would not make economic sense to go ahead with the transaction.
The statement also denied claims that within a week of its formation, Faith
Brothers had formed companies in the United States and successfully negotiated
with the DIC to purchase NIB.
It said at
least, nine months elapsed between the date the first application letter was
sent to the DIC and the award of a contract to purchase NIB. The statement also
insisted that Kwame Addo is not and has never been a shareholder of Faith
Brothers.
It said Mr
Kwame Addo was appointed a director of Faith Brothers in September 1999 as part
of “our desire to create an advisory board composed of external directors. Mr
Addo has never had any financial interest in Faith Brothers or Faith investors.”
GRi…/
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The British
government was facing condemnation from protesters against the arms trade on
Monday night after new figures revealed that the value of arms sales to Africa
will more than quadruple by next year.
The figures
will come as an embarrassment to Tony Blair, who is preparing to visit the
continent this week. The Prime Minister has said he wants to heal the scars of
underdevelopment in the region.
High levels
of spending on arms are seen as one of main causes of poverty in Africa and
Ghana is not out of the list. A report by the Campaign Against Arms Trade
(CAAT) reveals that in 1999, African nations received 52 million pounds
sterling in arms, in deals with British firms.
That figure
rose to 125.5 million pounds in 2000 and is set to top 200 million pounds next
year. A 28 million-pound deal to supply Tanzania with a military air defence
and traffic control system agreed this year and 100 million-pound a year deal
with South Africa will to supply Hawk jets will inflate the figure. Small arms
deals have also been signed with Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Sierra
Leone, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
It is
believed that the question of arms will be raised at Blair’s meetings with
African leaders in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal. Clare Short, the International
Development Minister, is also travelling with the Prime Minister. “On the one
hand the government is about the urgent need for constructive development
departments are underwriting and assisting arms dealers to sell weapons on the continent,”
said Richard Bingley of CAAT.
“There has
been a tangible increase in arms export activity to Africa under this
government and it is likely this pattern will soar over the next few years.”
Later this
year, the government will give official backing to one of the continent’s
largest arms fairs. Africa Aerospace and Defence will take place in September
and is expected to be used by British defence firms as a showcase for their
weapons.
The UK’s
Defence Export Services Organisation, part of the Ministry of Defence, will be
taking part in the exhibition, while Trade Partners UK, part of the Department
of Trade and Industry, will be sponsoring UK defence companies appearing at the
exhibition.
This week,
the government will face fresh scrutiny over its arms policy when the Lords
launches a concerted attack against the Export Control Bill, which the
Government has said will cut illicit trade in arms. A series of amendments to
be laid down by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats will aim to close
loopholes that critics say have left the Bill toothless.
Government
opponents say the Bill makes no reference to the need for sustainable
development as part of any arms deal, despite European Union rules that say it
should be taken into account. It was the lack of a development clause in the
legislation that allowed the Tanzania air defence deal to go through, despite
critics saying it was too highly advanced for such a poor nation.
The Lords
will also attack the lack of provision of powers to pursue arms brokers who
break trading rules while operating abroad, and will say independent scrutiny
of arms deals is needed by Parliamentary committees.
On Monday
night, the Government defended its position on Africa, saying that the Prime
Minister was not going to promote any particular business or arms interests.
“It is about opening a conversation; this is not about grabbing immediate
deals,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said. It is about addressing a
serious way the problems that have bedeviled Africa.
“No one is
saying that you can resolve these problems in a week, or a month or a year, but
you can begin to address these issues.” Blair will say that he wants to tackle
the ‘failed states’ of the region and make up for 30 years of economic problems
on the continent. He will also discuss the situation in Zimbabwe where Robert
Mugabe is under the threat of European Union sanctions.
More…/
The Ghana
Medical Association (GMA) has described the President’s state of the nation’s
address to Parliament as very positive with regard to the health sector.
According to GMA, the President’s address actually identified all the priority
areas in the health sector that needed to be tackled.
The association’s
appraisal of the President’s sessional address to Parliament has come at a time
when Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon Alban Bagbin has described it as an
empty speech, which was only aimed at scrutinizing the former NDC
administration.
In a release
issued by the GMA on Friday and signed by its President, Dr Jacob Plange-Rhule,
a day following President Kufuor’s address, the association intimated that the
refurbishment and modernization of health facilities which took prominence in
the President’s address are very important for the delivery of quality health
to the people of Ghana as well as his emphasis
on preventive medicine and environmental sanitation.
While
acknowledging the fact, the address did recognise the biggest difficulty facing
the health sector, which has to do with brain drain. The GMA further welcomed
the announcement by the President to address the conditions of service and
remuneration for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other paramedics as a measure
to encourage them to remain within the country to offer their needed services.
Another
integral part of the President’s speech, which was of much concern to the
Association was the pronouncement of the establishment of the Ghana
Postgraduate Medical College, which according to the GMA, it is a step in the
right direction. The GMA believes that there is no doubt that the initiative is
one of the ways of stemming the brain drain of doctors from the country, the
release concluded.
GRi…/
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A leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kofi Wayo, is in the news again. This time round, the man, whose utterances always spark off huge controversy, has indicated that contrary to the expectation of many Ghanaians, the NPP’s fiscal policy (budget) is packaged in the United States’ capital, Washington D.C., and imposed on the country.
According to him, by inference, the NPP is pursuing policies similar to those chartered by its predecessor, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), which had brought nothing, but untold hardships to the good people of this country.
Mr Wayo was speaking during an interview on “Radio Mercury” (91.5 FM), a Kumasi based private Frequency Modulation (FM) station in one of its Breakfast Shows hosted by Ekow Mensah. He said since such policies were not in the interest of Ghanaians, President J.A. Kufuor should move away from them and look elsewhere, saying the government should not allow the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to dictate to the country, on how it should manage the economy.
Mr Wayo, who contested the 2000 parliamentary election on the ticket of the NPP in the Ayawaso East Constituency in the Greater Accra Region and lost, asked President Kufuor to sack any Minister whose performance is below expectation within a period of 90 days.
He said this can be done by, perhaps, on monthly basis and anyone found not to be making any meaningful impact, should be, without hesitation, given the sack, adding that there are thousands of other Ghanaians who are competent enough outside the NPP or the government who, when given the chance, can turn things around overnight.
Mr Wayo, who claimed to be acting in the supreme interest of the NPP in particular and Ghana at large, questioned the government’s reluctance in reducing fuel prices in the country at the time the price of crude oil on the world market had gone down drastically.
As to whether he was not criticizing the government simply because he had so far not been given any key position in President Kufuor’s administration, Mr Wayo noted that all that he does has always been in line with the government’s “Zero Tolerance for Corruption” policy.
“By keeping quiet on pressing issues when I can offer credible suggestions and possible solutions, will be doing a very great disservice to myself and the entire people of this country and Ghana as whole, hence my periodic contributions for good governance”, he pointed out.
GRi…/
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TV3
ownership scandal - Malaysians demand money back
The
controversy surrounding ownership of TV3, the nation’s first privately owned
television network, now points to the Malaysians breaching a statutory
requirement by parading Eddie Addo as a shareholder with a 30 per cent stake,
whereas in reality Eddie Addo paid nothing, at least in the initial stages.
Reliable
sources disclosed to The Statesman that owners of TV3 of Malaysia are now
pressuring Eddie Addo and his friends to cough out for the full worth of almost
a third of the TV station, which was fashioned out of the Ghana Film Industry
Corporation divestiture programme.
The
December 21 edition of The Statesman conjectured that Totobi Quakyi, the
Minister in charge of the privatization scheme was in all but name the
beneficiary of 30 per cent of TV3, with the Malaysians having 70 per cent,
leaving Ghana with 30 per cent of Ghana Film Company, which through a clever
manipulation of the company law provisions, has no shares in TV3, the main project behind the entire divestiture.
After the
story, a close associate of Eddie Addo told the Statesman that whereas some
political personalities may be behind Eddie Addo’s 30 per cent share, the
Ghanaian entrepreneur is by his own right rich enough to own the 30 per cent or
indeed the whole TV3 all by himself.
This,
however, begs the question why then did the Malaysians have to fund his 30 per
cent acquisition and subsequently
refusing to pay the Malaysians after five years, since TV3 was set up in
January 1997? This has led to cement the supposition that Eddie Addo was a mere
front, who only agreed to do on the assurance that he did not have to pay for
the shares through his personal funds.
But Janet
Carboo-Dankwah, Public Relations Manager of TV3 denied knowledge about the
pressure being mounted on Eddie Addo to honour his financial commitments to the
company. Carboo-Dankwa, who does not know the contact number of her employers,
was rather quick to state there is no outstanding payments to be made by
Totobi’s closest buddy.
The bizarre
revelation that the Malaysians are now threatening to bring in new partners if
their money is not paid indicates that the Malaysians deceptively exploited the
Ghanaian law, which requires a foreign-owned company to have some local
shareholders. Thus, if it cannot be shown that the Malaysians did in fact
“borrow” money to Eddie Addo for the 30 per cent share then the whole deal is
probably illegal as the actual beneficial ownership, is in the absolute hands
of the foreigner, does definitely contravenes the laws of the land, therefore
making the contract voidable.
TV3 Network
Ltd., is a privately owned company set up in January 1997 barely two months
after the divestiture of Ghana Film Industry Corporation (GFIC) to the Ghana
Film Company. The Ghana government, which then owned GFIC was not given a stake
in the new enterprise emerging from the divestiture simply because it was said
to be a private business.
According
to publications in two leading Malaysian newspapers, copies of which are
available to the Statesman, Totobi Quakyi’s visit to Malaysia in August 1996
was to finalise the deal between Sistem Television, owners of TV3 Malaysia and
the Ghana’s Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) on the acquisition of
GFIC for broadcasting.
The New
Strait Times and The Star of Kuala Lumpur reported in their August 20, 1996
editions of the signing agreement for TV3 “to help Ghana set up its first
private station network.” The Malaysian TV3, the reports said, “will undertake
the project through its subsidiary, Amity Valley Sdn Bhd together with another
Malaysian company, Asian Panorama Sdn Bhd, and Ghana Films Industry
Corporation.”
A follow-up
report in Friday August 23 edition of New Straits Times was emphatic to state
that the joint venture between the TV3 Malaysia and GFIC “will apply for
licences and approvals to own and operate a private television network, FM
radio stations and also look into other
areas in the broadcasting industry relegating the core business of GFIC to the
background. The new company the newspaper added, “will also negotiate with DIC,
the acquisition cost of usable assets of the Ghana Film Industry Corporation.”
Interestingly,
however, at the time the agreement was being signed the then Managing Director
of GFIC, Victor E.K. Anti, who was on Totobi’s team to Malaysia was not aware
of the deal, raising questions about transparency of the divestiture.
To confirm
fears of discerning minds, when TV3 Network eventually took off in Ghana the
people were told that it is a privately owned company with Totobi’s closest
friend, Eddie Addo, as the only indigenous shareholder, in a stark contrast to
the Kuala Lumpur agreement, which made provision for government participation.
GFIC with all its assets was divested for a paltry $1.4 million.
More…/
At a
memorial held in honour of the founding member of the first political party of
Ghana and who, in fact, through his intellectual journeys gave the name Ghana
to this nation, the Okyenehene, whose grandfather, Nana Sir Ofori-Atta was the
elder brother of Dr Joseph Boakye Danquah, has reminded Ghanaians that if it was
not for the sacrifice, agitations, organization, negotiations and persistence
of J.B. Danquah, John Agyekum Kufuor would most probably not have been President today.
The King of
the Akyems said this last Sunday. Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin said: “His work
for the benefit of Ghana is what he stood for and it is what we will always
celebrate and stand for. We in Okyeman only request that Ghana must remember
that it is through the instrumentality of Dr J.B. Danquah that today Kufuor is
President, just as Nelson Mandela’s work made Mbeki President of South Africa
and Luther King’s work made Colin Powell Secretary of State. “Enam obi so ena
obi beye yie,” Osagyefuo emphasized.
The
Okyenhene, further directed that the Okyeman Council and the family of Dr J.B.
Danquah should prepare to mark the final funeral rites of the Doyen of Ghanaian
politics by the next anniversary in 2003. In a moving speech which brought
tears to the eyes of the congregation at this year’s memorial service for Dr
Danquah, the Okyenhene instructed that a committee should be formed with the
Palace to finally put Dr Danquah’s soul to rest. This year’s service marked the
37th anniversary of Dr Danquah’s death on February 4th
1965, at the Nsawam Prisons.
GRi…/
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‘My
Lord, I am tired’ – Pleads Osafo Sampong
There was
more drama at the Quality Grains Trial involving two ex-NDC Ministers and three
public officials when the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) boldly announced
to the court that he was tired and therefore unable to continue with the
cross-examination of Mr Kwame Peprah, ex-NDC Minister of Finance and the 3rd
accused persons in the trial.
Mr
Osafo-Sampong, the DPP had been on his feet for more than an hour and was
visibly frustrated by the deft and unequivocal answers that were being given to
his questions by Mr Peprah.
Looking
haggard and exhausted after an hour of getting nowhere with his questions, Mr
Sampong requested the court to adjourn the trial to the next day. This brought
counsel for Mr Kwame Peprah, Mr Kwaku Baah, to his feet. He objected to the
adjournment, arguing that the trial, which has already lasted 8 months, should
be expedited and therefore, proceedings should continue.
It was at
this stage that Mr Sampong got up and shouted at the top of his voice: “My
Lord, I am tired,” to the merriment of the court audience. The trial judge, Mr
Justice Dixon Afreh, granted the adjournment.
It was
later learnt that Mr Osafo-Sampon had earlier in the day been on his feet for
almost two hours in the case involving Ms Sherry Ayittey and three others
currently going on before Mr Justice Amonoo-Monney in another Fast Track High
Court. Given that Ms Ayittey is a vice-Chairman of the NDC, her trial is seen
as another of those anti-NDC political harassment trials designed by the NPP to
execute their political agenda of decimating and disintegrating the NDC by the
end of their four-year tenure of office.
More…/
Alhaji
Abdussalam, the newly appointed Central Regional Manager of Islamic Education
Unit has announced that with effect from last Friday, February 1, 2002, every
female teacher under the Islamic unit, should use the veil to cover her head
during school hours.
Alhaji
Abdussalam, who was on his maiden visit as the Regional Manager to Kasoa said
any female teacher who thinks she cannot comply with the directive should ask
for a release to another school.
Irate
teachers who were surprised at the Regional Manager’s directive, have protested
vehemently saying the directive was an infringement on their constitutional
rights to freedom to dress the way they wish. Most of the female teachers in
the Islamic education units are not Muslims and their release, will have
adverse effect on the school since it will lose about half of the teaching
staff. The teachers are therefore appealing to the sector Ministry to intervene
to save the situation from getting out of hand.
GRi…/
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The Serious
Fraud Office (SFO) has started investigating the Ghana Private Road Transport
Union (GPRTU) for alleged non-payment of loans granted it by the government to
purchase a fleet of buses in 1996.
A highly
placed source at the headquarters of the union who disclosed this to the Times,
said that the acting General Secretary, Mr Alando Sidik, was at the SFO on
Monday to answer queries.
When
questioned further, the source became tightlipped and referred the Times to the
national chairman for further information. The chairman was, however, not
around to be interviewed. Another official however, told the paper, “you see,
your publication has landed us in trouble.” The Investigations Officer at the
SFO was also not available for a verification of the story.
It is
recalled that the ‘Times’ on January 25 carried a front-page story that the
GPRTU had paid only ¢6 billion out of an Indian loan of ¢16 billion secured for
it by the government in 1996 to purchase 200 Tata buses. The story, attributed
to Mr Alando Sidik, added that the terms of the agreement elapsed last year.
But Mr
Peter Egya Ansah, Deputy General-Secretary, and Mr Tetteh Hago, First National
Trustee, both of the union, maintained that they had completed repaying the
loan. They could not prove their claims with figures or documentary evidence.
More…/
Over one
thousand grabbed for drugs last year - Board
The
Narcotics Control Board (NCB) last year arrested 1,042 people for possessing
narcotic drugs. Seventy-three were arrested for heroin, 26 for cocaine, and 943
for cannabis popularly known as ‘wee’.
Colonel
I.K. Akuoku, Executive Secretary of the Board, disclosed this in Accra at the
weekend. Col. Akuoku was however, not happy about the frequency at which the
courts granted bail to such drug traffickers. He stated that all the 14
traffickers arrested at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) had been granted
bail and were nowhere to be found to be prosecuted.
The
Narcotics Board boss cited a case in which one Agnes Yeboah was caught at the
KIA with 1.3 kilogrammes of cocaine in transit to Canada. The woman, he said,
was granted bail in the sum of ¢20 million with one surety, after evidence had
been provided to the court. “The woman escaped and up till now she has not been
found,” he said.
Col. Akuoku
noted that the Narcotics Control Board worked hand in hand with the Ghana
Standards Board, the Police and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service
(CEPS) to establish the criminality of such people and therefore expect justice
to be done to the culprits. “We would not send anybody to court without
evidence,” he stated.
Col. Akuoku
also reacted to the fact that his outfit, which is under the Ministry of
Interior, petitioned the Minister of Interior on the issue several times. He
expressed concern about the situation, which he described as very frustrating
to the Board. Col. Akuoku added that the Board would, in due course, apprehend
and prosecute persons who stand in as surety for the suspects. “We are also
going to enforce the seizure of property used as surety in cases where suspects
escape,” he stated.
GRi…/
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