Three years after a Supreme Court judgement, government is still unable to retrieve more than €25m it illegally paid to National Democratic Congress (NDC) financier Alfred Woyome. A disappointed New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa South constituency in the Eastern region, Atta Akyea says he has lost any hope that government can recover the money before the November general elections. “I am afraid I do not see them retrieving the money, it is sad indeed”, he told Joy News Wednesday. It had to take the efforts of a private citizen and former Attorney-General Martin Amidu to get the court to order government to retrieve the monies after government communicators defended the payments. On June 14, 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that Waterville Holdings, which was allegedly involved in the construction of some stadia ahead of the hosting of the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, was wrongfully paid €25m and thus must refund the money. Government after this decision pledged to pursue Waterville to retrieve the money for Ghana. But President John Mahama at a press a conference on January 12, 2016, explained that a private citizen is impeding government actions just when it [government] was ready to retrieve the money. The plaintiff, Abdulai Yusif Fanash Muhammed has sued the former Attorney-General Martin Amidu and Alfred Agbesi Woyome. In his suit, he argues that the Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction to rule on the matter and wants the previous decision quashed. Mr Amidu is convinced the suit is an excuse that gifts Mahama “the shameless cover behind which to tell the public…” why government was unable to collect the money from Mr Woyome. Martin Amidu has remained unconvinced Government is truly committed to retrieving the monies paid as judgment debts. He is not alone in his disappointment. Expressing further disillusionment with government, Atta Akyea said he was saddened that the Mahama-led NDC administration was “still pussy-footing”. It is clear that Ghanaians won’t have their monies back by the end of the year, he noted. “After three years? What are you going to do in November when the whole energies of government are to contest this election” he said.
Source: Myjoyonline
