CJA urges Govt not to undermine rule of law

Accra, Aug. 11, GNA - The Committee for Joint Action (CJA) on Thursday said Ghanaians expected their government to act under the ambit of the law in the matter of the shares acquired by EO Group in the Jubilee Field.

The CJA therefore called on the government to be guided by the pursuit of the national interest which dictated that all business deals proved to have been tainted with fraud and corruption needed to be set aside.

The CJA said it had keenly followed the government's handling of allegations of fraud and other malpractices levelled against the EO Group, a partner in the Jubilee Oil Fields.

It said: 93We have taken note of the public declaration of the Government that investigations into the allegations are continuing and that at the appropriate time charges would be preferred against the promoters of the Company.

"This, according to the government, will be without prejudice to the approval given to the company to offload its shares or part thereof to Tullow of the United Kingdom."

The CJA said while the promoters of the EO Group should be given every opportunity to defend themselves in a court of competent jurisdiction, 93the CJA believes that any attempt to set aside the findings of a proper investigation for the convenience of a business deal will greatly undermine the principles of the rule of law and equal access to justice".

The CJA said it was highly commending the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice for his steadfastness in carrying out investigations into allegations made against the EO Group and his insistence that fraud and corruption ought to be punished in accordance with laws of Ghana.

It said: 93The claim that the so-called international business community is applauding the Mills Administration for dropping the prosecution of the EO Group is of no consequence to the interest of the Ghanaian people who elected this administration."

"In our view the interest of the international business community is better served by strict application of the laws of Ghana within the framework of the rule of law," CJA said.