Plant and equipment rust away as legal tussle is stalled

Aveyime (Volta Region) 17 May 2002- Plant and equipment at the Aveyime Quality Grain Production Unit are rusting away as the legal tussle between the state and functionaries of the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) government is stalled.

This came to light when the Ghana News Agency accompanied American Resource Officials of the Continental Commodity Trading Company Limited (CCTC) to the project site as part of the national seminar on: "Boosting rice production in Ghana - The Experience of America."

The company, which is one of the leading marketers and distributors of rice "Pride", "Yenmo" and the "Ricemaster" brands intends to study the American experience to develop the best practice, methods and policies for rice production and marketing in Ghana.

The team expressed concern about the wastage and deterioration of the heavy equipment due to weather conditions. Most of the equipment had started to rust while the roofing of a warehouse had been ripped off.

An official at the site said the normal capacity of the production plant was about 15 tonnes per hour but now produces below 10 tonnes per hour. The Official expressed concern about the abandonment of the project due to the legal tussle. The NDC functionaries were standing trial at an Accra Fast Track Court until the Supreme Court declared the court alien to the Constitution of the Fourth Republic.

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The former ministers of state and other officials were charged with conspiracy and wilfully causing financial loss to the State through the award of the Quality Grain contract. They were charged with playing various roles that resulted in the loss to the State of more than 20 million dollars.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and have each been granted a self-recognisance bail. They are Kwame Peprah, former Minister of Finance and Ibrahim Adam, former Minister of Food and Agriculture.

The others are Ato Dadzie, former Chief of Staff, George Yankey, former Director in charge of Legal Sector, Private and Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance and Samuel Dapaah, former Chief Director at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.