Parliament has been asked to summon the Minister of Trade Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah before the House to answer questions on the Ministry's engagement with Destination Inspection Companies (DICs) on a judgment debt owed Bankswitch.
The Ministry, under the leadership of Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is reported to be involved in transactions that may constitute bribery or may have dire consequences on the Ghana's economy.
"The facts are that a company called Bankswitch has succeeded in receiving a Judgment debt against the Government and people of Ghana in the amount of approximately GHC 197 million. The judgment debt was for the termination by the Prof Mill administration of a contract awarded under the Kufour Administration for services in the trade facilitation arena. The Prof Mills administration was of the conviction that the contract was improperly awarded and that Bankswitch had not performed the services for which it was contracted to perform.
"Bankswitch sued the Government in international courts and won a judgment debt amounting to approximately GHC 197 million. Due to delays in paying this judgment debt and the accumulating interest, this debt is rising. As the Government has been unable to pay this judgment debt this far, Bankswitch has been negotiating with Government on alternative payment arrangements," a statement signed by the Ministry's Acting Public Affairs Director, Nana Akrasi-Sarpong read.
Reacting to the statement on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo", James Kwabena Bomfeh of the Conventions People's Party (CPP) charged the legislative body to quickly bring the Sector Minister before the House to clarify the transactions.
Kabila, as he is affectionately called, stated emphatically that the Minister's action exposes Ghana to disgrace and ridicule.
He challenged the authority and logic in the termination of the Bankswitch agreement, stressing that "It’s horrible. It’s disgraceful…The Ghanaian brain, you can’t underestimate it but what we do to ourselves as if we’re not Ghanaians. We have lost our sense of identity and setting different standards, and measuring ourselves wrongly.”
“The Minister for trade should be summoned immediately.” |
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