Adaklo, Abutia compensation beneficiaries produced

Identities of the beneficiaries of compensation payments for the Adaklo and Abutia lands in the Volta Region, acquired by the state for creation of a national park, have been revealed by the Ministry of Finance.

Mr Kwadwo Awuah-Peasah, MoF Director in-charge of External Resources Mobilization – Bilateral, explained records at the Ministry showed Ghc780,089.80 was paid in 2009 as compensation to four families following the acquisition of their land in 1975.

According to him, the families from Adaklo were the Hloefe Family, represented by R. K. Ankrah, which received Ghc384,496.00, the Ayim Family, represented by Dzam Kotoh, had Ghc 80,646.65, Abutia were Alifo Family represented by S D Adzima, had Ghc164, 922.45 and the Fia Komla Family represented by E. K. Kodiabor received Ghc150, 024.70.

Mr Awuah-Peasah, who was giving evidence at the Judgement Debt Commission’s sitting in Accra, on Tuesday, said after the state had acquired the land by legislation, part payments were made in the 1970s and 80s, totalling Ghc104,000 and that it was revalued by the Land Evaluation Division and the final payment was made in 2009.

At this point, Mr Justice Yaw Apau, Sole Commissioner of the Judgement Debt Commission, asked why the land, which had already been acquired by the state, should be revalued again for the state to be required to pay for the outstanding balance.

Mr Awuah-Peasah replied that he was not in the best position to explain the situation, and that the Lands Evaluation Division would be able to do that. He also indicated records showed that Mr Tony Lithur was the Counsel for the four families.

The Sole Commissioner, upon examination of documents tended in by Mr Awuah-Peasah, questioned why the Serious Fraud Office, on February 11, 2010, wrote to the Bank of Ghana, barring payment to conduct investigations into whether the said amount had been paid outright to the families by the bank.

Mr Awuah-Peasah said, it was only the Bank or the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) which could be able to attest, who would have to appear before them to explain the issue.

On the issue of compensation to premature retired police officers, Mrs Margaret Yaa NtriwaaAchiampong, Senior Legal Practitioner of Messrs Assinba Chambers, recounted that her uncle, Mr Joseph Nkrumah, was prematurely retired together with several other police officers in 1993 at the ages of 50 and 55.

She said the 1992 constitution made 60 the legal retirement age, which she contested to the Ghana Police Service but with no avail.

Mrs Achiampong took the matter to court for nine of the premature retired officers but the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney General’s ((AG) Department failed to make any appearance on three separate occasions, which led to a default judgement of ?324, 081, 520 (old cedis) in 1999 in favour of her clients.

She was then approached by 706 other prematurely retired officers to take up their case. During the court sittings, neither the AG’s Department nor the Police Service appeared in court to defend the state, and the Supreme Court ruled in her clients’ favour again, awarding them over ?36 billion compensation which was paid by the state in instalments.

Mr Kofi Dometi Sokpor, Counsel for the Commission, asked what led to the creation of a separate account for the premature retired female police officers.

She said after the ruling the women were not satisfied with the terms of contracts and took the matter to the General Legal Council, which led to the creation of the Ghana Commercial Bank account for them.

Mr Anthony K. Kokroko, Legal Officer of the Ghana Police Service, expressed regret over the inability of the AG’s Department to appear in court, which resulted in the court entering a default judgement against the state.

He assured the Commission that the list of prematurely retired police officers would be made available to it. The sitting was adjourned and will resume today.