Mills lists 15 corruption cases against NPP

Accra, Oct. 24, GNA- The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday listed 15 alleged corruption cases and asked the government to initiate investigations into them.
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, NDC Presidential Candidate said at a press conference in Accra that the party's position on Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report issued by Transparency International that the allegations, which were currently making the rounds as rumours and in newspaper publications needed investigation.
He listed alleged visa fraud of the MP for Lower Akim, who attempted to procure an Austrian visa for a woman and her two children, which he falsely presented as his wife and children.
He said the VRA fraudulently made a penalty payment of 14 Billion cedis for not lifting crude oil on schedule when the company, from which the crude oil was lifted, is now alleging that the company did not receive the payment from VRA.
Prof Mills said the possible fraud, corruption and causing financial loss associated to the VRA's Strategic Reserve Plant, has not produced even one kilowatt of power since they were installed in May 2003 with a total rental payment increasing at a rate of 1.38 million dollars per month, needed attention.
A World Bank 75,000 dollars sponsored national cities project known as the "Cities Alliance Project" meant for Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Koforidua has been fraudulently converted into a "City Development Strategy Project " meant for Kumasi alone for which payment has been made.
He accused the Minister of Finance for illegally authorising the payment of 15,000 dollars as leave entitlements for the Speaker of Parliament to spend his disputed leave in Ireland.
The Vice President and the Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP used their influence in the trial of a 71-million cedis Land Commission embezzlement case involving a relation of the Vice President's wife.
A non-Ghanaian lady, Miss Gizelle Yajzi, lady of uncertain background has been engaged as Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance under very suspicious circumstance and no specific terms of reference and is running up bills for the Ghana government that threatened to cause financial loss to the state, Prof Mills said.
He added that an NPP activist and NADMO official, one Sulemana Jeremiah used the Vice President's name to defraud one Miss Mariama Tula of 2,500 dollars with the promise to get her a visa and put her on the Vice President's official delegation to the USA.
The Auditor-General's position was compromised when he was paid seventy-five million cedis salary advance in breach of the provisions of the financial administration decree and the Financial Administration Regulations, he said.
Prof Mills said the issue of an alleged lady friend of the Deputy Minister of the Interior stated on "Radio Gold" that her husband, an NPP financier was a drug dealer, should not be ignored.
He said in June/July 2002, Sahara Energy Resource Company Limited did a crude oil discount deal with TOR, which earned the company an undeserved 1.5 million dollars in one day.
Prof Mills drew attention to three Executive members of the Dzowulu Women's Wing of the NPP, who were arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine to the USA.
The docket of the case is at the Cantoments Police Station and the case has allegedly been discontinued at the instance of a prominent NPP personality.
He said the NPP Government's refusal to ratify the renegotiated Valco Agreement, which allegedly cost Ghana and the VRA 30.4 million dollars between January 2001 and December 2002 also needed to be looked at.
He said the recent Ghana Expo 2003 Fair held in London, which is turning out to be another fraud perpetrated on unsuspecting business establishments and diplomatic missions in Ghana by persons closely associated and connected with the NPP Government, should also be investigated.
Prof Mills said, "The NPP Government`s resort to the propaganda spins and diversionary tactics suggest that the Government has something to hide, and this fuels the perception of corruption",

Accra, Oct. 24, GNA- The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday listed 15 alleged corruption cases and asked the government to initiate investigations into them.
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, NDC Presidential Candidate said at a press conference in Accra that the party's position on Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report issued by Transparency International that the allegations, which were currently making the rounds as rumours and in newspaper publications needed investigation.
He listed alleged visa fraud of the MP for Lower Akim, who attempted to procure an Austrian visa for a woman and her two children, which he falsely presented as his wife and children.
He said the VRA fraudulently made a penalty payment of 14 Billion cedis for not lifting crude oil on schedule when the company, from which the crude oil was lifted, is now alleging that the company did not receive the payment from VRA.
Prof Mills said the possible fraud, corruption and causing financial loss associated to the VRA's Strategic Reserve Plant, has not produced even one kilowatt of power since they were installed in May 2003 with a total rental payment increasing at a rate of 1.38 million dollars per month, needed attention.
A World Bank 75,000 dollars sponsored national cities project known as the "Cities Alliance Project" meant for Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and Koforidua has been fraudulently converted into a "City Development Strategy Project " meant for Kumasi alone for which payment has been made.
He accused the Minister of Finance for illegally authorising the payment of 15,000 dollars as leave entitlements for the Speaker of Parliament to spend his disputed leave in Ireland.
The Vice President and the Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP used their influence in the trial of a 71-million cedis Land Commission embezzlement case involving a relation of the Vice President's wife.
A non-Ghanaian lady, Miss Gizelle Yajzi, lady of uncertain background has been engaged as Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance under very suspicious circumstance and no specific terms of reference and is running up bills for the Ghana government that threatened to cause financial loss to the state, Prof Mills said.
He added that an NPP activist and NADMO official, one Sulemana Jeremiah used the Vice President's name to defraud one Miss Mariama Tula of 2,500 dollars with the promise to get her a visa and put her on the Vice President's official delegation to the USA.
The Auditor-General's position was compromised when he was paid seventy-five million cedis salary advance in breach of the provisions of the financial administration decree and the Financial Administration Regulations, he said.
Prof Mills said the issue of an alleged lady friend of the Deputy Minister of the Interior stated on "Radio Gold" that her husband, an NPP financier was a drug dealer, should not be ignored.
He said in June/July 2002, Sahara Energy Resource Company Limited did a crude oil discount deal with TOR, which earned the company an undeserved 1.5 million dollars in one day.
Prof Mills drew attention to three Executive members of the Dzowulu Women's Wing of the NPP, who were arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine to the USA.
The docket of the case is at the Cantoments Police Station and the case has allegedly been discontinued at the instance of a prominent NPP personality.
He said the NPP Government's refusal to ratify the renegotiated Valco Agreement, which allegedly cost Ghana and the VRA 30.4 million dollars between January 2001 and December 2002 also needed to be looked at.
He said the recent Ghana Expo 2003 Fair held in London, which is turning out to be another fraud perpetrated on unsuspecting business establishments and diplomatic missions in Ghana by persons closely associated and connected with the NPP Government, should also be investigated.
Prof Mills said, "The NPP Government`s resort to the propaganda spins and diversionary tactics suggest that the Government has something to hide, and this fuels the perception of corruption",