NDC pays EC GHC5.4m

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) accountant who was filed recently by the party has revealed that the party paid huge sums of money to the Electoral Commission (EC).

According to Mathias Mokono Wilson, who claims to have worked with the party as accountant for 23 years, a total amount of GHC5.544,630 was withdrawn through him and the General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, on behalf of the EC.

“Myself and Asiedu Nketia went to the bank and withdrew money on behalf of the EC,” the beleaguered accountant told Citi Fm in Accra on Wednesday.

On February 10, 2016 Mr Wilson filed a suit at the Labour Division of the Accra High Court through his solicitors from Azinyo Chambers against the NDC for unlawful dismissal, claiming that the party gave him only a week’s notice to leave the party’s head office at Adabraka, Accra, instead of the mandatory three months.

He said that he was protesting the one-week ultimatum given him because “there are a lot of cheques drawn on behalf of the EC which I don’t have the receipts.” He added, “I can’t resign like that. I have to collect all the receipts, prepare everything and give out my resignation letter but they are asking me to go.”

Mathias Mokono Wilson noted: “If I go, they will tell me that I have embezzled money. They used me as a scapegoat. When I finished issuing the cheques then they fired me.”

Giving details of the payments to the EC, the accountant said there were different cheques he withdrew together with Mr Asiedu Nketia on different dates at Societe Generale, Accra Main, on behalf of the EC, although he admitted that “I am not a signatory to the NDC account.

“The first cheque was GHC630,000; the second cheque was GHC357,000; the third cheque was GHC2 million, then followed by GHC2.199, 340, then followed by GHC69,315, GHC54,975, GHC140,000 and GHC100,000, totalling GHC5.544,630.”

Apart from the party and its General Secretary, the plaintiff has also sued Vida Addae, Deputy Treasurer; Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Director of Elections; Dr Karl Mark-Arhin; Mahdi Gibril; Emmanuel S. Zumakpe, Director of Administration, and six others for the said wrongful dismissal.

He wants damages for loss of leave for 23 years and loss of gross salary at GH¢3,574.50 per month, multiplied by three months in lieu of notice.

The plaintiff states that his salary of GHC3, 574.50 x 23 years x 2 will amount to GHC164,427.00, plus the pay for 3 months – which is GHC3,574.50 x 3 – bringing his entire loss incomes to GHC175,150.50, excluding his leave allowance for the 23 years.

Statement of Claim

The plaintiff, in his statement of claim, said he had been employed at the NDC headquarters since October 27, 1993 and had served the party dutifully as an accountant.

As part of his contract of engagement, the plaintiff said he was in-charge of receipts of payments for all financial transactions including petty cash operations, and kept “all books up to final accounts stage, including the preparation of quarterly financial statements.”

He also said he conducted all aspects of banking treasury functions, financial aspects of stores function, preparation and payment of monthly salaries, SSFC and PAYE as well as accounting for the financial returns from the regional and constituency offices.

Signed Cheques

Mr Wilson averred that in the course of his employment, Mr Asiedu Nketia aka General Mosquito and Kofi Adams, current Deputy General Secretary, signed the cheques every time and he (Asiedu Nketia) accompanied him to Societe Generale Ghana, Accra Main, to withdraw moneys from a particular account.

Sale of Forms

“When it comes to the sale of political nomination forms – both presidential and parliamentary – the 1st Defendant (NDC) made it mandatory for the forms to be sealed by the Plaintiff and the late WO I Jacob Mensah Bonney.

However, for the first time in the 23 years of service to the party, Mahdi Gibril, the 6th Defendant, breached the rules and sent all the nomination forms to the regions without the requisite seal.

“Sixty percent of the sale proceeds [which was] supposed to go to the constituency offices did not go and 20%, which was supposed to go to the regional NDC offices and the remaining 20% which was for the national office, the 2nd to 7th Defendants refused to pay to the appropriate coffers, alleging that the sale proceed of GHC5,544,630.00 was to be paid to the Electoral Commission,” Wilson revealed.