The issue of whether or not a 40-footer container loaded with various items imported to the Tema Port was cleared, is causing a rift between a Ghanaian domiciled in Finland and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Adentan in the Greater Accra Region, Kwadwo Adu Asare.

The complainant, Dr. Nana Banful Ghansah, who is based in Helsinki, is accusing Mr Adu Asare of clearing the container from the port but pretending not to know the whereabouts of the container.

However, when DAILY GUIDE reached Mr. Adu Asare for his side of the story, he admitted knowing Dr. Ghansah but denied ever going to the Tema Port to clear the said container, saying, 'I told him long before the shipment that I was no longer interested in the items.'

Narrating his ordeal to DAILY GUIDE in both telephone conversation and e-mail correspondence, Dr. Ghansah claimed that somewhere in June 2010, the NDC MP visited him in Finland and requested for some items to be shipped to him as a gift, which he did.

He said the cost of the freight was 3,500 Euros excluding three months demurrage, which was to be determined by the shipping company at Tema, adding that the contents were gifts he gave to the MP at the total cost of 30,000 Euros including the medical equipment.

He said he loaded a 40-footer container with assorted goods including computers, monitors, laptops, keyboards and mice, printers, photocopies, 54? LG Television, UPS, digital cameras, MP3 players, DVD players, mountain bikes, fridges and deep freezers, microwaves, bales of used clothes, school tables and chairs, carpets, mattresses, shopping trolleys, office chairs and tables.

He said the medical equipment shipped were 4D Ultrasound and probes as well as stretchers, hospital beds which were to be donated to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra.

Dr. Ghansah said a month before the container´s departure from Helsinki, Mr. Adu Asare asked if he could buy him a 56? LCD television and a couple of new laptops which I did, noting that the MP asked one Edward Kofi Donkor in Germany to send the money for those items.

'I got the money through Western Union from Offenbach, Germany. The first amount was €957.50 which bears a MTCN number: 4935218905 sent on 24th May 2010,' he said, adding, 'The amount he asked the guy to send was not enough so, he asked the guy to send me another €1,057.50 with MTCN number: 1193592124 sent on 30th May 2010.'

He said the MP for Fanteakwa, Amankwa Asiamah, later visited him in Helsinki when the container had spent two months in Tema and attracted freight charges so he discussed the issue the Fanteakwa MP and he (Fanteakwa MP) offered to clear the container if the Adentan MP would allow him but he (Adentan MP) rejected the idea.

Dr. Ghansah said as a result, his agent in Helsinki continues to accuse him of collaborating with the Adentan MP to clear the container in Tema without paying the freight charges.

'We agreed with the shipping company that the Honorable pays the freight charges in Ghana. Unfortunately, the container disappeared from the port without the payment of the freight and Custom charges. The Honorable says he is not the one who cleared the container because he did not have the money to do so.

'I am being held responsible for the shipment and must pay the freight charges. He has put my family in this mess, after all I did for him. He only changed his mind after the container had arrived at Tema.'

Reacting to Dr. Ghansah's claims, the Adentan MP said, 'It is not true that I changed my mind after the container had arrived at the port in Tema. He did not send any bill of lading to enable me to clear the container. I cannot walk to the port to clear goods without a bill of lading.'

Asked why he did not cooperate with his friend, the MP said Dr. Ghansah in the process showed gross disrespect to him and he decided to break links with him.

He said he sent 4000 Euros to Dr. Ghansah through his friend in Germany to get more goods for shipment, an amount Dr. Ghansah dispute, and added that he has decided not to pursue Dr. Ghansah for the money.

'He might have used my name as the consignee but I told him from the beginning when there was a misunderstanding between us that I am no longer interested in the whole deal.I made it clear to my colleague and Fanteakwa MP that I was no longer interested so I do not see where I fit in this case.

'My conscience will never serve me right if I went to the port to clear the container. I suspect that he wants to create mischief but I still stand on my principles.'