“The Government has issued a directive to SSNIT to use our pension funds to acquire a 24% stake in this phantom Woyome project,” the group alleged.

OccupyGhana had earlier raised red flag over a lucrative GHc35 million deal Woyome benefited from the state, through its subsidiary company, Anotor Holding.

[contextly_sidebar id=”u0LkveC7Z4OIcF62XBcFoB9RzgErIOVl”]According to OccupyGhana, there exists a framework agreement dated 21st December 2015, for Anator Holding to develop deep seaports (including) industrial parks and green townships in Ghana, and called on government to abrogate the contract until Woyome pays the full GHc51 million judgment debt unlawfully paid him.

A recent statement from OccupyGhana however said government has been silent on the matter.

“We must also point out that, the Framework Agreement entered into between the Government and Woyome’s Anator Holding Company Limited, is silent on this alleged 24% stake in a joint venture. The question to be asked is why the Framework Agreement fails to mention such a critical material particular? These are the matters that have led us to conclude that the Framework Agreement is illegal and a nullity, at the very least, on the ground of material non-disclosure.”

The group further called on government to make public the matter, and also warned SSNIT “not to consider, even for a moment, to use the pension funds of Ghanaians to fund this latest phantom Woyome project.”

Below is the full statement from OccupyGhana:

28th NOVEMBER, 2016 OCCUPYGHANA® PRESS STATEMENT

OCCUPYGHANA® WARNS SSNIT AGAINST FUNDING NEW WOYOME DEAL

OccupyGhana® has noted that its last Press Release on the above-matter has been met with silence from government officials, and two farcical denials of there even being an agreement: one by Woyome and another by Mr. Selby, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport. We have rebutted this by posting the agreement on our website.

Our further review of the documents since that Press Release reveal even more disturbing facts that Ghanaians must know about, one of which is this:

The Government has issued a directive to SSNIT to use our pension funds to acquire a 24% stake in this phantom Woyome project.

The documents in our possession show that sometime in 2009, in a scheme similar to the Stadium matters which led to the first scam, Woyome managed to convince government officials that he could establish what he called “Green Townships” in Ghana. This concept, at the time, was allegedly to provide solar power and 20,000 houses for some Urban Renewal Project, which was to be “replicated and adapted to agriculture, mining or manufacturing communities.”
It made fantastic and unsubstantiated claims of providing 12,000 permanent jobs and 30,000 construction jobs for two years, and would “lift over 200,000 people above the poverty line, including residents and workers on the project.”

Woyome managed to get the Finance Minister at the time, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, to write a letter dated 15th December, 2009 to “in principle accept participation stake holding of 24% in the joint venture.”

That letter was however clear that the Government was going to subject the proposal to further discussion with relevant stakeholders, leading to formal negotiations towards a definitive agreement. The letter was also clear that a final position on all aspects of the project would only be arrived at after discussions with all stakeholders, subject also to Cabinet and Parliamentary approvals.

It appears to us that this matter cooled off for several years while Woyome battled us in court over the GH¢51.2M that was unconstitutionally and fraudulently paid to him. By the time Woyome re-surfaced in 2014, what was a “Green Townships” project had transformed and ballooned into a huge Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project designed to do practically everything under the sun: electricity, deep sea ports, roads, railways, hospitals, factories, agriculture, mining, archaeological findings.

You just name the project, and Woyome was going to do it.

On 19th August 2016, Woyome’s consultant, Albert Essamuah Associates Limited, now claiming to have been appointed as the Government’s consultants (and we are yet to see evidence of any such appointment), wrote to the Chief of Staff demanding the latter “to issue an urgent directive from your august office, to SSNIT through its Board Chairman, to take up the 24% stakeholding of the Government of Ghana in the Project SEZ on behalf of the people of Ghana.” This letter also revealed that “when the construction of the Port commences the value will escalate to over US$25 Billion.”

Although this letter was disingenuously silent about the value of the alleged 24% stake that SSNIT was to be directed to acquire, what is apparent is that either SSNIT or the Government was expected by Woyome to fork out a colossal 24% of US$25B for that acquisition.

That is a whopping $6 billion!

So, what Dr. Duffuor had clearly stated as an “in principle acceptance” with several approval conditions was, after the illegal Framework Agreement was signed between Woyome and Dzifa Attivor, being represented to the Chief of Staff as a firm commitment to acquire a 24% stake in the phantom project.

We are satisfied to note that the Chief of Staff asked for a legal opinion from the Attorney-General, not on whether or not Ghana had committed to acquire that 24% stake (which would be false), but on whether the government could issue the directive to SSNIT as demanded by Woyome.

An opinion dated 30th September 2016 and signed by Dr. Dominic Ayine, Deputy Attorney-General stated that the Chief of Staff “can issue directives with respect to SSNIT to take up the 24% stake in the Project,” but “subject to compliance with the investment guidelines established by the National Pensions Act (2008).” We are satisfied that this opinion did not bind SSNIT to taking up the alleged 24% stake. However, we are concerned that in one part of the opinion, it is stated that “this is a proposed stake as opposed to an actual stake,” while another part claims that “Government has accepted the proposal [to take a 24% stake in the project] per the letter from the Ministry of Finance dated December 15, 2009…”

As pointed out above Dr. Duffuor’s letter of 15th December 2009 was heavily qualified, and none of the conditions contained in it had occurred. There is no obligation on Government to take that undefined 24% stake. Yet, this was now being packaged almost as a done-deal, and being foisted on SSNIT.

This is how Woyome works. That is how he ended up claiming and collecting GH¢51.2M from Ghana for no work done. The 19th August 2016 letter from his consultant betrays this, and we are horrified that our government and its officials are tolerating this obvious scam for even a day.

We must also point out that the Framework Agreement entered into between the Government and Woyome’s Anator Holding Company Limited, is silent on this alleged 24% stake in a joint venture. The question to be asked is why the Framework Agreement fails to mention such a critical material particular? These are the matters that have led us to conclude that the Framework Agreement is illegal and a nullity, at the very least, on the ground of material non-disclosure.

We call on the government to declare publicly that it is not bound by this illegal Framework Agreement. We call on the government to publicly renounce and repudiate that document, as well as all other steps that have been taken on the back of it. We call on SSNIT not to consider, even for a moment, to use the pension funds of Ghanaians to fund this latest phantom Woyome project.

In the coming days, we will show to Ghanaians even more shocking aspects of this matter. If Ghanaians do not arise to occupy their democratic space, public officials, either through negligence or complicity, will engage in shady and dodgy deals that would cost the nation money that we do not have and should not be spending.

Yours, for God and Country,

OccupyGhana®

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Stay away from Woyome’s new deal – OccupyGhana warns SSNIT appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Woyome, who is to be orally examined by former Attorney General, Martin Amidu, in the controversial GHc51 million judgement debt case, has accused Ghana’s apex court of persecuting him.

“I feel that the Supreme Court is persecuting me,” he lamented while addressing the media on Thursday.

But speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, Yaw Oppong, a private legal practitioner, said such comments make Mr. Woyome a “candidate for contempt.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”v3MtR89fuNZCA5kVhxnrercOZe5Wiefm”]“I think that particular statement should have been withdrawn by now by the gentleman [Woyome]. It is another organ of state, and a very important one at that. When a case goes well for you; then everybody must sing the praises of God; but when it goes against you then you see everything wrong about it.”

“I think that if his lawyers have advised him and he has refused, that’s okay; otherwise this is a statement that he should have withdrawn because ordinarily; it has made him a candidate for contempt proceedings,” he noted.

Brouhaha over GHc51 million booty

Yaw Oppong made the comment on the back of some press conferences and counter statements from Mr. Woyome and Martin Amidu respectively, after the Supreme Court granted the latter an opportunity to orally examine Mr. Woyome, regarding the repayment of the judgment debt paid to him.

Background

Alfred Woyome was paid ¢51 million after he claimed that he helped Ghana to raise funds to construct stadia for purposes of hosting the CAN 2008 Nations Cup.

The Supreme Court in 2014 ordered Mr. Woyome to pay back the money after Mr. Martin Amidu challenged the legality of the payments in court.

Some efforts by the Attorney General to retrieve the GHc51 million including selling his property to defray the debt, has proved futile.

This compelled Mr. Amidu to return to court to seek an order to examine Woyome, after the Attorney General backtracked from pursuing the case despite serving an earlier notice to orally examine him.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Woyome faces contempt for attacking Supreme Court – Lawyer appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Supreme Court gave the order after Martin Amidu prayed it to allow him examine Woyome following the discontinuance of the case by the Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong ,despite serving an earlier notice to do same.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Pqld8ES9YYhNfIZJrMWNC1UlLd7LpfGE”]The Court in its ruling by Justice Anin Yeboah explained that it upheld Mr. Amidu’s application because it was in accordance with “article 2 of the 1992 Constitution” which gives “every citizen of Ghana the right to invoke this court’s original jurisdiction when the necessity arises.”

Justice Yeboah further observed that the Attorney General had taken too long in retrieving the GHc51 million from Woyome, despite a court order about two years ago.

He also noted that the money would also not benefit Mr. Amidu but the Republic of Ghana hence his ruling.

“Given the circumstances of this case, the colossal amount of the judgment debt, and the fact that for more than two years (since 29/07/2014) no serious effort has been made to levy execution and no execution process is pending in court, I am prepared to offer an opportunity to the Plaintiff/Application to proceed accordingly to execute the judgment as a party who initiated the action for the benefit of all the citizens of Ghana. My liberal approach to article 2 of the Constitution 1992 would, in my view, substantially advance the course of justice in this case. After all, any money that may be realized from the execution is entirely for the Republic of Ghana and the Plaintiff/Applicant does not, indeed, stand to benefit directly from it.”

“The application is thus granted and the 3rd Defendant/Respondent herein Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome is hereby ordered to appear before me in this Court on Thursday, the 24th of November 2016 at 10:00 in the forenoon to be examined orally on oath by the Plaintiff/Applicant herein,” he added.

Click here for the full rulling

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Supreme Court ruling on Woyome’s oral examination [Full text] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Mr. Amidu, who has been permitted by the Supreme Court to orally examine Mr. Woyome on his repayment plan, said he does not understand why EOCO, which was not a party to the case in court, should be the body receiving the money.

“The people of Ghana should demand to know from Government how its Attorney General in enforcing the order of the Supreme Court for Woyome to refund the unconstitutional payments made to him to the Republic of Ghana – accept a cheque of GHC4,000,000.00 drawn by Woyome dated 4^th November 2016 in favour of the Economic and Organized Crime Office as part payment of the monies ordered by the Court to be refunded,” Mr. Amidu stated in a statement copied citifmonline.com.

GHc4 million payment cooked up

There are reports that Mr. Woyome has returned GHc4 million out of the GHc51 million paid him as judgment debt; but the Amidu believes that “the whole scheme appears to have been cooked to defeat my application for leave to examine Woyome orally on oath.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”v5nlGhYnqA9KXqlnh5TWTF5kKFrg9jif”]“I say with all the strength at my disposal that, a cheque drawn by Woyome in favour of the Economic and Organized Crime Office, which was not a party to the action or the judgment creditor, cannot be a cheque in part payment of the unconstitutional monies ordered by the Court to be refunded to the Republic. The acceptance of the Economic and Organized Crime Office cheque by the Attorney General and the deception of the public by the Attorney General that it is part payment for the refund ordered by the Court, brings into question the competence of the Attorney General and the Government in pursuit of the interest of the Republic,” he added.

Martin Amidu, also known as Citizen Vigilante, released the statement on the back of a permission granted him by the Supreme Court to orally examine Mr. Woyome, after the Attorney General who had applied to do the orally examination, discontinued the application.

Brouhaha over GHc51 million booty

Alfred Woyome was paid ¢51 million after he claimed that he helped Ghana to raise funds to construct stadia for purposes of hosting the CAN 2008 Nations Cup.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court in 2014 ordered Mr. Woyome to pay back the money after Mr. Martin Amidu challenged the legality of the payments in court.

Meanwhile several efforts by the Attorney General to retrieve the GHc51 million including selling his property to defray the debt has proved futile.

Vote out Mahama or forget the case

Mr. Amidu in the statement also admonished Ghanaians to vote out President John Mahama on December 7 else the money will not be recouped.

“I am a senior and foundation member of the NDC, the Governing party. But I am compelled to put Ghana First and to defend the 1992 Constitution by saying that the only way Ghanaians can have the Woyome/Austro-Invest joint loot refunded is to change the Government that created, looted and shared the loot with them during the Presidential elections this year.” “A new Government will prosecute Woyome under Article 2(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution for High Crime should he delay any further in refunding the unconstitutional loot. The new Government will also enforce the Waterville judgment debt of over Euro 47million loot or prosecute it for High Crime,” he added.

Below is the full statement from Martin Amidu:

GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO RECOVER THE WOYOME/AUSTRO-INVEST LOOT: IT IS ALL JUST ELECTIONEERING CAMPAIGN – BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU

Does the Ghana Government believe us to be so easily fooled that they concoct Woyome part payments of the judgment debt as smoke and mirrors for their election campaign?

The people of Ghana should demand to know from Government how its Attorney General can – in enforcing the order of the Supreme Court for Woyome to refund the unconstitutional payments made to Woyome to the Republic of Ghana – accept a cheque of GHC4,000,000.00 drawn by Woyome dated 4^th November 2016 in favour of the Economic and Organized Crime Office as part payment of the monies ordered by the Court to be refunded.

The Attorney General accepted the Economic and Organized Crime Office cheque from Woyome and gave a receipt acknowledging the payment “as part payment for the Judgment Debt of GHC51, 283,483.59.” The Access Bank (GH) East Cant cheque number 890081 and the Attorney General’s receipt which were exhibited to the Attorney General’s affidavit sworn by the Attorney General herself on 9^th November 2016 as Exhibits “AG 7” and “AG7A” are attached herewith in PDF for the public to judge how any Attorney General, worth the name, can accept a cheque drawn on the Economic and Organized Crime Office which was not party to the action as part payment of the refund ordered by the Court on 29^th July 2014 for the Republic.

I say with all the strength at my disposal that a cheque drawn by Woyome in favour of the Economic and Organized Crime Office, which was not a party to the action or the judgment creditor, cannot be a cheque in part payment of the unconstitutional monies ordered by the Court to be refunded to the Republic. The acceptance of the Economic and Organized Crime Office cheque by the Attorney General and the deception of the public by the Attorney General that it is part payment for the refund ordered by the Court brings into question the competence of the Attorney General and the Government in pursuit of the interest of the Republic.

The whole scheme appears to have been cooked to defeat my application for leave to examine Woyome orally on oath. In the hurry of the Government and Woyome to defeat my application they could not even cover their tracks with a cheque drawn on the Ministry of Finance or the Accountant-General as custodian of the consolidated fund. The cheque could also have been drawn on the Registrar of the Supreme Court and paid into court for the Republic.

The foregoing is evidence, if evidence be needed, that the Attorney General and the Government are determined to kill the non-refund of the judgment debt as an election issue by cooking up the deceptive cheque and receipt to allow the status quo to continue. They are purposefully deceiving the electorate that efforts are being made to retrieve the unconstitutional loot by Woyome jointly with Austro-Invest, the client of Lithur-Brew and Co, a law firm in which the Attorney General was a partner.  The law firm is also the President’s personal lawyer.

I am a senior and foundation member of the NDC, the Governing party. But I am compelled to put Ghana First and to defend the 1992 Constitution by saying that the only way Ghanaians can have the Woyome/Austro-Invest joint loot refunded is to change the Government that created, looted and shared the loot with them during the Presidential elections this year. A new Government will prosecute Woyome under Article 2(3) and (4) of the 1992 Constitution for High Crime should he delay any further in refunding the unconstitutional loot. The new Government will also enforce the Waterville judgment debt of over Euro 47million loot or prosecute it for High Crime.

This is the only way out for Ghanaians to stand up for their Constitutional rights and to retrieve the unconstitutional monies created, looted and shared by this Government with its political party supporters who are now unconstitutional judgment debtors to the Republic. As a loyal NDC member, I will support most of my political party’s parliamentary candidates who have shown honesty and integrity to the Constitution. But I cannot in good conscience and in defence of the Constitution support its Presidential candidate to continue leading the looting of the public purse.

Fellow patriotic citizens, I fought for two long years for justice for the Constitution and for all of us and the Supreme Court eventually vindicated the public’s interest by ordering the refund of the unconstitutional loot to the Republic of Ghana. Unfortunately, the Government as the leading looter has put obstacles in our way in enforcing the orders of the Court. Fellow citizens, help me in the name of the Constitution to retrieve your money that was looted by voting for a new President. Let us protect our Constitutional rights and not be hoodwinked by electioneering ploys. Let us get our GHC51, 283, 483. 59 back.

Defend the 1992 Constitution by voting for a new President on 7^th December 2016 to get our money back. God bless Ghana and put Ghana First!

Martin A. B. K. Amidu

15^th November 2016

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Woyome’s GHc4M payment to EOCO ‘cooked up’ story – Amidu appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.