Betty Mould is not accountable for judgment debt – NDC group
The Factual Caucus, a National Democratic Congress(NDC) group, in the Northern Region says, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrissu, former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice has no question to answer in regards to the GH¢42 million judgment payment to Mr Alfred Woyome, a business man.
The group said the facts of the matter indicated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government entered into a contract on the 26th April 2006, in two separate but similar agreements with Waterville Holdings for the rehabilitation of the Accra El-Walk and Kumasi sports stadia.
The NDC group said while Waterville was the main contractor in both the agreements with Mitchelettic and Consar, acting as sub-contractors for Waterville, the NPP administration on February 6th,2006, contrary to procurement procedures and prior to the official award of the contract to Waterville handed over the sites to Waterville.
The group made these assertions in a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday at which Mr Nabare Theophilus, Secretary to the group read a signed statement issued to the press.
Mr Theophilus said Waterville therefore immediately started work which included the demolition, exaction and clearing of the projects sites.
He said in August 2006, contrary to a memorandum sent to Cabinet by the then Minister of sports, advising against the illegal abrogation of the contract, the NPP administration terminated the agreements with Waterville and rewarded them to the sub-contractors.
He noted that at the time of the abrogation, Waterville had already mobilized funds to execute the projects.
The NPP government, he said, again requested the consultants to the projects, Building Industry Consultants Limited, to value the work done by Waterville before termination of the contract.
“We believe this was the time, the issue of cost came about, the above facts clearly explain who really caused financial loss to the state. The NPP, by the abrogation of the contract put Ghana into expected loss”.
Mr Theophilus alleged that, there had been several high profile contracts which were abrogated by the NPP during their reign and which they settled citing the abrogation of the contract between Ghana Telecommunications Company.
He said this typical example cost Ghana huge sums of money, because the Malaysians dragged Ghana to the International Court of Justice and the court awarded cost which was paid under the directive of Nana Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the then Minister of Justice and Attorney-General.
The group therefore asserted that “Betty Mould- Iddrissu did not award any contract, neither has she abrogated any contract. Those who award and at the same time abrogate the contract are liable and should be held responsible for causing financial loss to the state and not this hard working minister”, the NDC group stated.
They group therefore challenged the NPP to take the matter to court if it has any evidence of wrong doing against Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrissu.
Source: GNA