Settle your indebtedness to GBC or face prosecution - PAC

The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) has given a two-week ultimatum to state and private institutions and companies to settle their indebtedness totalling GH¢109,502 to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

The Chairman of the PAC, Mr. James Avedzi, who gave the order Monday, said institutions and companies which failed to comply with the directive would be hauled before the PAC to respond to queries for the unwarranted delay in the payment of the advert fees.

He issued the directive following the revelation in the 2016 Auditor General's report, which indicated that some of the institutions and companies owed the GBC as far as 2008.

The acting Director General of GBC, Mr Augustus Yamson, and his team were at the PAC sitting Monday to respond to the queries raised in the report against the GBC.

The institutions and companies, who had been named in the report include Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD); National Road Safety Commission (NRSC); Rlg company; Milicom Ghana; CharterHouse; Stratcom Africa; Fine Herbal Centre; Regent University, Sellers in Restaurant and Lintas.

Prosecution

Responding, Mr Yamson, said the GBC a total of GH¢96,000 had been recovered with GH¢109,502 still owed to GBC as of now.

He said some of the defaulting companies had collapsed while some of the managers who placed advertisement had passed on, making it difficult to retrieve such money.

He said GBC had resolved to recover the money from the existing defaulting companies to the state.

Consequently, he said, GBC had constituted recovery teams in all the regions to recover the debts.

Mr. Yamson said the corporation was ready to prosecute any company that demonstrated its lack of desire to clear the debt.

"If we see recalcitrant companies who do not want to pay, we will prosecute them. I will do that", he said.

Mr. Yamson said some of the defaulting companies had stopped doing business with GBC.