Ahwoi denies claiming huge end of service benefit

Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), said on Monday that he has neither retired nor been retired to warrant claiming any end of service benefit (ESB).

He said there has never been any demand by him at the GIPC for the payment of end of ESB, neither has there been a cheque prepared for such payment.

"No signatory to the centre's cheque has been dropped up to the time I was asked to proceed on leave on February 20, 2001," Mr Ahwoi said in a statement in Accra.

There have been a series of press reports claiming that he attempted to sign a cheque for 100 million cedis for his ESB. He has also been accused of several malpractices, which he denied in his statement.

On retirement benefits of the Deputy Chief Executive and Directors, he said the board approved new service conditions on January 3, this year, when it was realised that a deputy chief executive was entitled to five million cedis as his retiring handshake.

The board had earlier considered and approved a special dispensation to top up the amount to 10 million cedis.

The new conditions of service give chief/deputy chief executives two months gross emoluments for each completed year of service, and all other categories three months basic salary for each completed year.

"Of critical importance is the decision by the board and the Ministry of Finance, through its representative on the board, to encourage the centre to generate funds outside the central government's budget to cater for its welfare programmes.

He said on February 2, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Minister of Finance, directed that there was no particular urgency for the board to rush into decisions which would bind the new administration without giving it the opportunity to appraise them.

The minister's letter said President John Kufuor, therefore, directed that the last meeting of the board and all decisions taken on that day be nullified with immediate effect. Mr Ahwoi also denied that he "owns a fleet of cars" and drew fuel from the GIPC for his personal vehicles.

He said he owns only one car, a Pontiac Transport SE (1994 model) which landed at Tema on December 2, last year, and was licensed on January 15 as GR 7 S.

He said a Nissan Skyline (1987) model, AS 4092 E, which he purchased in 1992, had been transferred to his wife and is owned by her and registered in her name since June 12, 1998.

Mr Ahwoi said a BMW 518 (1993/94 model), GT 6 E, is a company car. "I do have access to these cars and use them for my office duties when the two official cars are at the workshop. Those are the only times I draw fuel. These can be ascertained from the transport and accounts office of the GIPC."

Mr Ahwoi denied allegations that he took up to two million cedis weekly allegedly for party campaigns, saying that it will be a non-discerning Chief Executive Officer who will take official imprest for a party campaign.

"I did not and would not do that because I am known to be discerning."

On high telephone bills, Mr Ahwoi said communication is the secret and the success of the GIPC, a modern, sensitive and responsive investment promotion agency.

"I think I should be judged more by my output and inflow vis a vis the cost of telephone input for an international agency such as the GIPC."

He said he owns only one house at North Legon and does not own a beach house at Ningo as alleged, adding: "A Taiwanese friend of mine has a beach house at Prampram which I use from time to time".

On allegations that he was planning to travel overseas to earn part of a 40,000-dollar grant to the GIPC, he said he was recruited on September 24, last year, to address the Second Africa-Asia Business Forum and had applied to the president for permission to travel.

He had been recruited together with three other Ghanaians among a group of 11 consultants/resource persons for the forum.

Mr Ahwoi said there is no such grant as 40,000-dollar grant to the GIPC.