The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has firmly rejected the opposition National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) demand for Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame to resign. During a press conference on Tuesday evening, Frank Davies, Chairman of the NPP’s Legal and Constitutional Committee, emphasized that Dame’s actions during the plea bargaining meeting with Richard Jakpa were lawful and justified.
Addressing Political Motivation Claims
Davies addressed accusations that the prosecution of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader in Parliament, was politically motivated. He dismissed these claims as baseless and devoid of truth. He stressed that the law is impartial to titles and political affiliations, and every citizen must uphold the law. Davies clarified that the prosecution was based solely on the available evidence and not on Forson’s political position.
Elaborating on the case, Davies explained that on December 22, 2011, the Cabinet endorsed a joint memorandum submitted by the then Minister for Health and Cassiel Ato Forson, who was Deputy Minister for Finance at the time. The memorandum sought approval for the purchase of 200 ambulances through a €15.8 million credit facility from Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited.
The Parliament of Ghana approved the financing agreement on November 1, 2012. However, the government contracted Big Sea General Trading LLC, a Dubai-based company represented by Richard Jakpa, without proper authorization. The agreement prohibited advance payment, stipulating that payments should be made through letters of credit upon the delivery of every fifty ambulances.
Davies pointed out that on August 7, 2014, Forson directed the Bank of Ghana to establish letters of credit for the supply of 50 ambulances, amounting to €3.95 million, even though no ambulances had been delivered. Furthermore, on August 12, 2014, Forson directed the Controller and Accountant-General to pay bank charges amounting to GHC806,688.75 against the Ministry of Health’s Capital Expenditure Vote.
These directives, according to Davies, violated the terms of the agreement and parliamentary approval. He highlighted that the Ministry of Health had asked Big Sea to halt production as there was no valid contract. Despite this, Forson authorized the payments.
Allegations of Corruption and Mismanagement
The NPP emphasized that these actions resulted in the delivery of defective vehicles that did not meet the requirements for ambulances. These vehicles were deemed unusable during the Mahama administration.
Following the change in government in 2017, investigations began, leading to charges against Forson, Sylvester Anemana (former Chief Director of the Ministry of Health), and Richard Jakpa. They were charged with causing financial loss, abetment to causing financial loss, and misapplying public property.
Davies noted that the prosecution presented sufficient evidence, which led to the court ruling that Forson had a case to answer. Forson opened his defense, which has since concluded. Jakpa, during his testimony, accused the Attorney-General of attempting to influence his testimony, an allegation Davies labeled as unfounded and malicious.
NPP’s Stance on the Attorney-General
Davies highlighted the NDC’s persistent attempts to undermine the Attorney-General, noting their efforts to have him removed from office. He asserted that the Attorney-General’s actions were in line with his duty to prosecute public officials responsible for financial losses to the state.
The NPP reiterated its support for Dame, stating that he would not resign and would continue his work resolutely. Davies concluded by urging the public to trust the judicial process and reject the NDC’s claims as attempts to protect Forson from accountability.
In his opening remarks, Davies underscored the importance of maintaining faith in the justice delivery system. He criticized the NDC’s attempts to obstruct justice and scandalize criminal proceedings, aimed at shielding Ato Forson from accountability.
Davies provided a detailed account of the events leading to the financial loss, starting with the Cabinet’s approval of the memorandum for purchasing 200 ambulances. He explained that Forson’s authorization of payment, despite the absence of a valid contract and the Ministry of Health’s objections, was a clear breach of procedure.
He also mentioned the substandard ambulances shipped by Big Sea, which were described as “ordinary vans” by the then Minister for Health, Dr. Alex Segbefia. These vehicles were never used as ambulances during the Mahama administration.
Davies further detailed the ongoing proceedings, noting that the court had rejected Forson’s plea of no case to answer, instructing him to open his defense. He highlighted that Jakpa’s allegations against the Attorney-General were part of a broader scheme by the NDC to disrupt the prosecution.
Source: Graphic Online
