Minister Dragged to Court for non-payment of rent

The Minister of Roads and Transport, Dr Richard Anane has been summoned before a Kumasi High Court to defend a charge for non-payment of rent. A writ, filed in Kumasi on 27 February 2003, by a Tarkoradi based lawyer, E. K. Amua Sekyi, on behalf of the plaintiff, Madam Florence Amoakohene, is claiming 34m cedis arrears of rent.

The plaintiff is also claiming recovery of House No. Plt. 10, Block 4 at South Suntreso extension in Kumasi, which premises the minister, who is also the MP for Bantama, has occupied as a tenant since 1996. Madam Amoakohene, a resident of South Kweikuma in Sekondi claims that since 1996, the defendant the Minister undertook to renovate the premises defray two years rent at 300,000 monthly from January 1996 December 1997.

It was further agreed that the defendant was to commence payment of rent from January 1998 but he ignored moves by the plaintiff to enter into a fresh tenancy agreement. The plaintiff stated that the parties finally agreed to a monthly rent of 2m cedis, effective January 2001.

According to her the rent for three year from January 1998 to December 2000 had been waived because several attempts to get the defendant signed a tendency agreement prepared to commit him pay rent therefrom had not succeeded. She said because of persistent demands (orally and in writing) the defendant finally made a total payment of 24m cedis in two instalments of 20m cedis and 4m cedis.

The plaintiff said the defendant was further served with a notice of increase in rent from 2m cedis to 5m cedis with effect from January this year. The defendant has failed to pay the arrears of rent from January 2001 to December 2002 (24m cedis) and that of January and February (10m cedis) amounting to 34m cedis. Dr Anane is expected to enter appearance within eight days.