NPP Gov't Approved Loans For Quality Grains Company

The Managing Director of Quality Grain Company in Ghana, Ms. Ruth Frances Croffie has told the Fast Track Court that the current government approved certain loans to the company this year. The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Major Courage Quashigah (rtd) approved a cheque for 25 million cedis, which was cashed at the Agricultural Development Bank.

Ms. Croffie said the Ministry headed by Mr. Quarshigah again approved another loan of 489 million cedis in May this year, to the Quality Grains Company to increase production from 120 acres to 500 acres of rice.

Ms. Croffie was testifying in the Quality Grains trial involving two former Ministers of state and four senior public officials. According to her, she applied for a loan at the Ministry of Agriculture to enable the company to cultivate 120 acres of rice but Major Quashigah asked the company to bring a proposal for the cultivation of 500 acres. The company submitted the proposal, which got approved. Ms. Croffie said she invited Major Quashigah to inspect the project and he was convinced about the viability of the project.

Ms. Croffie says she is not aware that the Quality Grains Company has abandoned the project explaining that Ms. Cotton, the Executive Director who is pregnant and in the United States, still pumped money into the project. She also directs any problem she encounters first to Ms. Cotton who inturn directs her to the appropraite officials.

She told the court that the rice produced by the company around November and December 2000, was first class because it was grade two adding that for the stoppage of production, the company would have produced rice on a large scale. She told the court that she has been communicating with Ms Croffie on daily basis since she left Ghana.

The accused persons are former Ministers of Agriculture and Finance, Ibrahim Adam and Kwame Peprah, former Chief of Staff, Nana Ato Dadzie, Dr. Samuel Dapaah and Dr. George Yankey, former Directors of the Ministries of Food Agriculture and Finance an Kwesi Ahwoi, Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.