Judgement Debt Commission unhappy with payment

Justice Yaw Appau, Sole Commissioner for Judgment Debt, on Wednesday inquired from the Ministry of Youth and Sports why it refused to pay GHc5, 000 to a contractor, resulting in the payment of GHc177, 664.09 as judgment debt.

He said the ministry could have paid the difference of GHc5, 000 owed to M/S EP Ghana Limited in connection with the rehabilitation of the tennis court at the Accra Sports Stadium in 2000, but it refused and allowed the interest to accumulate until 2010 when it was served with a notice to be taken to court before it opted for settlement.

He advised civil servants to be committed in their assigned duties and save governments from paying judgment debts that are avoidable, adding that, government should stop re-aligning the ministries to avoid the mix up of documents and records.

Justice Appau said this when Mr. Abdulai Yakubu, Chief Director at the Ministry of Youth and Sports appeared before the Commission in a matter relating to the rehabilitation of the tennis court at the Accra Sports stadium by M/S EP Ghana Limited, and also making available supporting documents on certain payments.

Mr. Yakubu explained that the ministry awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of the tennis court at the cost of GHc69, 718.08 to host the Euro Africa Zone 2 tennis competition in 2000.

He said the ministry paid the money in three installments after the completion of the project, and in October 2001, it paid GHc24,339.53 as the first installment, GHc33,826.29 as the second and GHc9,486.75 as the third, leaving a difference of GHc5,053.20.

He explained that the payment of the GHc5, 000 to the contractor became difficult after the Ministry of Sports was re-aligned with Education, as the file got mixed up and could not be traced until the Sports Ministry was later brought back.

He said the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General in 2010 arranged a meeting with the Ministry of Sports together with M/S EP over the GHc5000, which had increased to over GHc200, 000 and the Ministry was taken to court.

He said after negotiating with officials of M/S EP in three separate meetings, they agreed to take an amount of GHc177,664.09 instead of the over GHc200,000 that they were demanding.

Mr. Yakubu also presented documents relating to GHc38, 119,023.95 and GHc10, 58.295 judgment debts paid to Waterville and Mr. Alfred Woyome in 2011 respectively.

He explained that the said monies were unknowingly credited to the account of the Sports Ministry by the Controller and Accountant General’s department, but later withdrawn by the latter to be paid to the beneficiaries.

Mr. Mahama Tara, Chief Director at the Ministry of Finance, also appeared before the Commission to explain the disbursement of GHc47, 230.00 to Abdul Muziz, Davis Kakra Mensah, Davis Panyin Mensah and Philip Agbogoga, as compensation for police brutality.

He said Muziz, Kakra and Panyin did not receive the money directly from the Ministry, but directed their Solicitors to collect it on their behalf, but Agbogoga negotiated with the Attorney General’s department for his share.