A-G Put Up A Weak Defense So Martin Amidu Could Triumph

A member of the Communication Team of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the State Attorney put up a weak defense in the “Martin Amidu vrs. Attorney General, Waterville (BVI) Holdings, Austro-‐Invest and Alfred Woyome” case; a cardinal reason that allowed the former A-G to record last Friday's landmark conquest. The Supreme Court last week ordered Waterville Holdings to refund the 47 million Euros paid them as a judgment debt by government following a suit filed by Mr. Amidu against businessman Alfred Woyome, Austro Invest and Waterville Holdings. But Brogya Genfi claims the current A-G did not mount a strong defense of the State’s position thus enabling the Supreme Court to rule in Mr Amidu’s favour. He said this during a panel discussion on Peace FM’s flagship programme “Kokrokoo” Thursday morning. Brogya Genfi also slammed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for their holier than thou attitude, accusing the opposition party of creating the opportunity for the judgment debt to be illegally paid to the claimants. According to him, the NPP cannot be absolved from the scandal because they had a pre-contract arrangement with Micheletti, Consar and Waterville for the rehabilitation of the Ohene Djan, El Wak and Baba Yara stadia. He added that though the arrangement was not fully enforced, the then Kufour government also failed to lay it on the floor of Parliament for further deliberations and/or approval before awarding the company with the contract. “Waterville Holdings Ltd, having been established that it had no contract with the NPP was however paid 11 million euros (through Micheletti for pre-construction works done) under the aegis of former President Kufour….” “Waterville did not sign any contract with the NPP. Waterville did not do any job for the NPP in anyway. The work that Waterville did for Ghana and received payment for, was given by the NPP. The work did not go to Parliament and so, in law, it cannot be enforced,” he said. Buttressing his assertions with the adage, “he who pays the piper calls the tune”, Brogya Gyamfi pointed out that if the NPP had not engaged their services in the first place, there would not have been any cause for alarm over whether their claims for reparations from the State were illegally or not. He therefore countered arguments that the current Attorney General, Mrs. Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong should resign, stating firmly that she is committed to retrieving the monies from all the parties and persons implicated in the judgment debt scandal. “I have confidence in her that she can really work to help Ghana,” he asserted.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana