The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) is raising concerns about the failure of the government’s white paper on the Judgment Debt Commission report to recommend the prosecution of Betty Mould Iddrissu and Ebo Barton Odro.
[contextly_sidebar id=”GqL1nfHYLltjaHucolh9Mm86mWUoeY4E”]The White Paper issued on the sole Commissioner’s report cited the then Attorney General Betty Mould Iddrissu and Deputy Ebo Barton Odro of displaying ignorance and unprofessionalism in the payment of the GH¢51 million Woyome Judgment Debt but did not suggest that both persons be investigated.
According to the Executive Director of the GII, Vitus Azeem, the lack of due diligence exhibited by the public officials on the Woyome matter must not escape investigation.
Speaking to Citi News, he further said that such actions if left unpunished will encourage unprofessionalism in public service.
“…I think it is not enough to just make that comment and leave it there because when a public officer has not exercised due diligence, there should be some sanction so that in future it will not be repeated. Except that in this case, maybe since the Commission has decided they are no longer in public service as one will call it and since steps have been taken to recover the monies through a supreme court judgment , they think that it is not necessary to do anything else. Maybe that might be the reason. But I think that otherwise, there is a need for some sanctions to apply,” he explained.
Government’s white paper on the judgement debt report blamed the Attorney General’s Department and the trial court for failing to prevent the unlawful payment of controversial GHC 51 million judgment debt to businessman Alfred Agebsi Woyone.
The Commission in the 107- page- document noted that the then Attorney General, Betty Mould Iddrisu going by Alfred Agbesi Woyome’s own pleaded case, was “ignorant …but nevertheless went ahead to negotiate and finally ordered for such payment to be made without any scrutiny of his claim and due diligence.”
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana