Ambulance purchase case: Seth Terkper declines response to Paul Adom-Otchere

Former Minister of Finance, Seth Terkper has declined to comment on recent social commentary made by the host of Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana show, Paul Adom-Otchere.

The development comes after the TV host made remarks about Mr Terkper’s appearance as a witness in the ongoing trial of the Minority Leader and former deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson involving the purchase of ambulances.

In a statement issued by Seth Terkper, he pointed out that “while there have been several calls on me by well-wishers and others, to respond to the Program. I humbly wish to decline to take any such action”

“Rather, I wish to respect the cherished rule and long-standing tradition of not commenting on the case before the courts,” Terkper added.

Meanwhile, Seth Terkper recently has told an Economic and Financial Court that he instructed his former Deputy, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, to write to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to request the establishment of Letters of Credit in favour of Big Sea General Trading Ltd in Dubai.

This request, he explained was to facilitate the supply of 30 ambulances for Ghana.

Speaking in court as the star witness for the defence in a case brought against Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and two others, the former finance minister told the court, presided over by Justice Afua Serwaa Asare Botchwey, that he granted the authorisation to Dr. Ato Forson to initiate the establishment of the Letters of Credit during a special management meeting that he chaired at the Finance Ministry.

He said, the meeting followed a legal opinion they received from the Attorney General (A-G) and the Ministry’s Legal Department to ensure the execution of a contract between the Government of Ghana (GoG) and Big Sea for the supply of 200 ambulances to avert the payment of judgement debt if Big Sea sued the government due to lengthy delays and breaches of the contract.

He disputed claims made by the Attorney General that Dr. Ato Forson caused the Letters of Credit to be established without due cause and authorisation, which suggests that they were not accurate.

In his witness statement, Seth Terkper explained that he had received an opinion from the Attorney General in 2014 which emphasized that failing to execute the contract with Big Sea would lead to judgement debt.



MA