General News of 2012-09-12

Woyome storms PAC today

After weeks of tug-of-war over whether or not Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome should appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, the businessman is set to have his day with the committee when it resumes sitting today to consider the 2010 Auditor General’s report on the Consolidated Fund.

On two occasions, Mr Woyome failed to appear before the committee over the payment of over GH¢51 million judgement debt to him, with his lawyers arguing that since he was already in court over the same issue, it was not proper for him to appear before the committee.

Even though the Daily Graphic was unsuccessful in its bid to reach the Chairman of the PAC, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, to confirm the appearance of Mr Woyome before the committee today, a close source to the committee confirmed that Mr Woyome would appear before the committee.

Mr Kwame Tawiah, an aide to Mr Woyome, also confirmed to the Daily Graphic that Mr Woyome would be appearing before the PAC.

It would be recalled that the PAC on August 23, 2001 ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to arrest Mr Woyome and bring him before the committee at a date to be appointed.

Issuing the order following the refusal of the Mr Woyome to appear before the committee after he had been issued with a writ of summons to do so, Mr Kan-Dapaah explained that Mr Woyome was the chief witness in a matter before the committee over the payment of GH¢51 million by the government to him which had been queried by the Auditor-General in the 2010 report on the Consolidated Fund.