Vomit GHc51m – Minority tells Woyome

The Minority in Parliament has called on the government to quickly retrieve the €25million paid to Waterville Holdings (BVI) Limited since the Supreme Court has made it clear that indeed government did not have any contract with Waterville to warrant the payment of that judgement debt.

The minority said it would be following keenly the process of retrieval of the money because it believed as representatives of a section of Ghanaians, it must ensure that the money was duly paid into government chest with a proof of payment.

The Minority also called on the Attorney-General to apply to the High Court to order Alfred Agbesi Woyome to lodge with it all monies paid to him by the state so that in case Woyome lost his case at the High Court, the nation could easily retrieve that money as well.

The Minority Spokesperson on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Joseph Osei-Owusu, who made the call at a press conference by the Minority in Parliament yesterday, said now that the Supreme Court had declared the contract between government and Waterville null and void, the sub-stratum of the Woyome’s case at the High Court appeared to have been removed and, therefore, it was necessary for the government to put in place the necessary measures that could help to retrieve all monies also paid to the NDC financier.

According to the Minority, when the Waterville money is retrieved it should be committed to some enterprises as determined by the collective decision of Parliament and the Executive.

“The Supreme Court refrained from making any pronouncement on the merits of Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome’s involvement in the case because of an action covering his own subject matter in the Commercial Division of the Court,” Mr Osei-Owusu said, expressing the belief that the commercial court would hear the said action with dispatch as the Supreme Court had done for the sake of the larger interest of Ghanaians.

The Minority did not hesitate to profusely commend a former Attorney-General, Martin Alamisi Amadu, for his singular effort in helping to retrieve the money for the good people of the country, stressing that the former Attorney-General, who was sacked by his own National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for pursuing justice for Ghanaians, must be honourably bestowed with the accolade “First Citizen Vigilante of Ghana”.

“The Minority in Parliament joins hands with civil society and other individuals to commend without reservation the singular effort of Mr Martin Amidu in the pursuit and achievement of justice and fairness for the government and the people of Ghana, and that the Minority appreciates his resilience and tenacity of purpose in the enterprise even in the midst of hostility and acrimony that his action provoked within some sections of the society,” the Minority noted.

The Minority said it had also been vindicated by the Supreme Court’s ruling about its persistent condemnation of the gargantuan judgement debts being paid to individuals and groups by the NDC government without any justification, adding that it was upon the basis of the Minority’s great concern about dubious judgement debts being paid that the government appointed a sole commissioner to look into the judgement debts saga.

The Minority, therefore, expressed the belief that the ongoing hearings, findings and recommendations of the sole commissioner of Judgement Debts, Justice Yaw Apau, would unearth similar outcome to dispel the worry of Ghanaians about the payment of dubious judgement debts.

There have been calls for the resignation or removal of first Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ebo Barton-Odro, from office for his complicity in the Woyome affair.

The crusade is being led by his colleague Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong because Mr Barton-Odro, who was Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, sought to justify the payment to Waterville and Woyome claiming the State had no case.

It is not clear whether Mr Barton-Odro would do the ‘honourable’ thing by taking a bow from his position or would be forced to resign.

Attempts to get him to speak on the issue proved unsuccessful since he was said to be in a meeting.

Apart from that, his mobile phones were said to be switched off or out of coverage area.