State institutions explain judgement debt payment to Wonder Properties
Representatives of some state institutions on Thursday answered questions in relation to the payment of GH¢1.1million judgement debt to Nana Kwame Bediako of Wonder Properties in 2010. Others also appeared to answer questions in relation to the payment of judgement debt to some individuals.
Nana Bediako was said to have provided a sub-contract to Surroch Grandulati-Gelfi Joint Ventures on the Asafo Market Interchange project in Kumasi.
Following a disagreement over a settlement payment for the contract between the Ghana Government and Surrochi-Gelfi Ventures, Nana Kwame Bediako was given GH¢1.1million as compensation.
Ministry of Roads and Highways
The Director in charge of Bridges of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Mr Owusu Sekyere Antwi, told the commission that the government gave Surroch Grandulati-Gelfi Joint Ventures the contract for the Asafo Market Interchange project.
He divulged that Surroch Grandulati-Gelfi Joint Ventures gave part of the contract to Nana Kwame Bediako of Wonder Properties.
Mr Antwi disclosed that there were some disagreements with the settlement payment to Surroch Grandulati-Gelfi Joint Ventures.
He said after the resolution of the disagreement, Surroch Grandulati-Gelfi Joint Ventures wrote to the Ministry of Roads and Highways to pay GH¢2,300 to its representative who was given a power of attorney by the company, and the GH¢1.1 million was given to Nana Kwame Bediako.
Controller and Accountant General’s Department
The Deputy Controller and Accountant General in charge of Treasuries, Mr Andrews Kingsley Kwadzo Kufe, had earlier told the commission that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning wrote a letter in 2010 directing the department to pay GH¢1.1million to Nana Kwame Bediako.
He said the letter instructing the payment only stated that the payment of the money to Nana Bediako was for the settlement of a dispute.
Bank of Ghana
When he took his turn, the Assistant Director, Banking Department of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Mr Leslie Akrong, noted that the Central Bank received a letter from the Controller and Accountant General’s Department directing the bank to release GH¢1.1million from the consolidated account to Nana Kwame Bediako.
He also indicated that the letter from the department asked the Central Bank to make the payment from the Canadian grant account.
He did not state the reason for the payment, but only stated that it was for the settlement of a dispute.
Land dispute compensation
Mr Akrong also answered questions regarding the payment of GH¢340,000 judgment debt to unidentified persons for land disputes in 2010.
He said the Controller and Accountant General’s Department requested that the BoG transfer GH¢1.1 million into the Ministry of Food and Agriculture account at the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), which was complied with in 2010.
He said the instruction indicated that the GH¢340,000 represented a part payment for land dispute compensation of GH¢581,267.
