GIPC Board Chairman should resign – Lawyer Joe Aboagye Debrah

A corporate and investment lawyer, Joe Aboagye Debrah says Board Chairman of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Mr. Ishmael Yamson, should resign following a scandal that has hit his office as the Board Chairman.

Mr. Ishmael Yamson has been criticized for receiving a cheque of GHC 20000 for his 70th birthday from the management of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.

The sum is said to have been disbursed in support of Mr. Yamson’s celebration of his 70th Birthday but this has been darkened by critics who believe the gesture amounts to a financial misappropriation.

 Mr. Ishmael Yamson reacting to a publication by Daily Guide which specified that an amount of 20000 cedis had been issued out to him for his 70th birthday, explained that though the said amount was indeed donated to him, he ordered for it to be returned to GIPC.

But the immediate past GIPC Chief Executive, George Aboagye has debunked the claims by the Board Chairman. According to him, only GHC 11000 out of the actual amount was refunded by the Board Chairman.

Speaking in an interview with Joy FM, Joe Aboagye Debrah advised the GIPC Board Chairman to heed calls that he should resign for his involvement in such financial misappropriation.

 He alluded to the resignation of the GIPC Chief Executive, George Aboagye, who resigned on grounds that his office had been compromised.

 The former GIPC Chief Executive bemoaned an attempt to fund a pro-NDC group called “Volunteers for Mahama” to support them in their campaign for the ruling National Democratic Congress.

An amount of money worth GHC 4000 was reportedly given to the group to aid them in their campaign for the President and 2012 Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama.

 Though the group denied the allegations, Mr. Aboagye tendered in his resignation as a matter of principle after admitting that an attempt had been made to paid out 4000 cedis to the group.

Lawyer Joe Aboagye Debrah commended Mr. Aboagye for taking a step to resign, therefore setting precedent for other top officials in the country.

 “On principle, if the CEO had to go on this matter, I think that the Board Chairman also on principle has to go…especially when there are conflicting statements coming from the two top officials involved in this”, he stressed.

 Source: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw