Business Tycoon Steps Out From the Cold

The media-shy business tycoon, Mr. Eddie Annan, will this morning break his long silence and step into the ring to answer his critics and fight off what he sees as Government attempt to crush him and his businesses.

Mr. Annan, reputed to be an aeronautical engineer, put together a string of businesses that earned him untold wealth, emerging as one of the key financiers of the previous government party, the NDC but earning considerable envy among his peers.

Under the NDC, Masai, Eddie's business, received a major boost despite the fact that he was essentially a loner who had no affiliation to the various Ghanaian business associations like the Association of Ghana Industries, and the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) .

He did not serve on any Government Board but was linked to the removal from office of Captain Butah, former boss of GPHA over a contract he was on the verge of losing.

Eddie even became a point man even for the Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) in Ghana which channeled grants through the Ministry of Finance and he assisted in advising with the disbursements.

The schedule for the disbursements went through Mr. Amissah Arthur, the former Deputy Minister of Finance, once reputed to be Prof Mills' Chief of Staff in waiting.

(He was corralled by Rawlings last year).

Mr. Amissah Arthur and the Managing Director of La Palm Beach Hotel, Klaus Riebensam, both served on the Board of La Palm/Golden Beach Hotels and were connected to Eddie who then controlled all main purchases at the hotel group.(computers, car rentals, presentation equipment etc).

Amissah Arthur was the Chairman of the Board, and Riebensahm had come to La Palm beach after his tenure at Tema Harbour as Project Manager for the Port rehabilitation project won by Masai/ Eddie Annan.

That rehabilitation job was won and executed by a company represented by Mr. Edward Annan - Boskalis.

Boskalis undertook another project at Takoradi. In May this year, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority set up a commission of inquiry into suspected irregularities.

Mr. Eddie Annan was not invited though a representative of one of the companies- Boskalis, was.

The inquiry cleared Mr. Annan of having anything to do with EMS, a stevedoring company belonging to one Mrs. Acheampong.

Chronicle had investigated EMS following tips that it was owned by Mrs.

Rawlings and Eddie Annan.

The paper could not pin Mr. Annan down to these allegations despite strong and persistent reports from various sources that he was.

No report was written categorically stating this.

The Committee report also reflected this finding.

The committee was composed of Mr. Phillip Addison, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh and Co., I Egala, the accountant and Captain Darkey.

Mr. Annan is expected to approach his first major press outing at the Press Conference in an aggressive slugfest or as cry baby who will not make any direct charges.

He is said to have laid off 105 - 115 of his employees.