You are here: HomeNews2008 06 10Article 145096

Opinions of Tuesday, 10 June 2008

Columnist: Poku, Kojo

Why Govt Paid $1.3 Million to Lobbyist

A research into the United States Attorney General’s reports (Link) show that the NPP government paid the sum of 1.3 Million US dollars to Rosa Whitaker Duncan -Williams' The Whitaker Group (TWG) since 2003 as lobbyists. Below is the breakdown

  • 1. For the period ending August 28, 2003 TWG was paid $100,000 "for hosting a Luncheon for President Kufuor to introduce US Investors and also prepared a TRADE and INVESTMENT STRATEGY DESIGNED TO INCREASE ECONOMIC TIES WITH THE US."

  • 2. For the six month period ending February 28,2004 TWG was paid another $100,000 to: “...prepare a trade and investment strategy designed to increase economic ties with the United States. The registrant also hosted an investment luncheon for the Ghanaian President to introduce U.S. investors to Ghana. $100,000.00"

  • 3. On August 31, 2004, another sum of $100,000 was paid to TWG and the AG reports that TWG said they “met with Ghana Government officials and prepared a TRADE AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY DESIGNED TO INCREASE ECONOMIC TIES WITH THE US.”

  • 4. On August 31, 2005, $200,000 was reported to have been paid by Ghana to TWG. The AG report states “The registrant (TWG) contacted US Government officials to discuss Ghana’s Economic progress and its bilateral relationship with the US. TWG disseminated informational materials on behalf of Ghana”

  • 5. On Feb 28, 2005, TWG was paid $250,000 from Ghana for ‘contacting congressional staffers to discuss Africa Growth and Opportunities Act update’ and also participated in promotional trip to Detroit on behalf of Ghana.

  • 6. On Feb 28, 2006 TWG collected $400,000 from Ghana. TWG said it contacted US Government Officials to discuss Ghana’s Economic progress and its bilateral relationship with the US. TWG says it disseminated information on behalf of Ghana

  • 7. On Feb 28, 2007, $300,000 was paid to TWG when it says it contacted US Government Officials to clarify matters related to Ghana’s Cocoa Sector and Child Labor and Ghana’s approach to addressing those matters. TWG says it disseminated information on behalf of Ghana
Refernce: http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fara/links/annualrpts.html



Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.