Enough money to pay indebtedness of Ghana@50 - Wereko-Brobbey

Accra, Oct. 15, GNA- Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Ghana@50 Secretariat said on Thursday that the secretariat had left substantial amounts of money that could defray its indebtedness to contractors and suppliers.

"Before the 31st of December 2008, every single contractor I know of who was owed, was to be paid the nominal sums that they were owed by the Secretariat," he said.

"I do not see the justification why up till now these contractors and suppliers have not been paid because there is enough money in the Secretariat's accounts to pay them."

Wereko-Brobbey, who was testifying on the third and last day of appearing before the Ghana@50 Commission of Inquiry suggested that the Commission should make recommendations to government for the immediate payment of all outstanding debts owed contractors, suppliers and service providers that were engaged by the Secretariat during the Jubilee celebrations.

He said as at the end of last year, he had prepared pay vouchers, which had been audited by the Auditor at the Office of the President to be remitted to the contractors.

Wereko-Brobbey told the Commission that those vouchers should be vetted and the nominal sums owed the contractors paid them. He asked government to calculate reasonable interests on their money and pay them later.

When asked by a member of the commission, Osei Tutu Prempeh if he (Wereko-Brobbey) was aware that some of the contractors had taken the state to court and won judgement over their unpaid money, Wereko-Brobbey maintained that there was money to settle most of the debt as at 31st December 2008.

He noted that during the transition period, an embargo was placed on payments from the consolidated fund, which he said contributed to the problem.

"That embargo was not put by me.that embargo went on for a long time. In my view there has been absolutely no reason why those contractors have not been paid since the beginning of January and therefore those (contractors) who felt, and many felt, that the chances of getting their money back was very little or nil, decided to resort to the courts."

"My contention is that these delays need not have happened and they are not of my billing," he said. 15 Oct. 09 Attention: Subscribers NPOL 008 ends our final bulletin.