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| From: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com|Dorcas Efe Mensah Published On: August 12, 2012, 14:54 GMT |
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Former Attorney General Betty Mould Iddrisu is currently before the Public Accounts Committe (PAC) testifying about her role in the payment of 94 million euros judgement debt to Construction Pioneers.
Mrs Mould Iddrisu said she has appeared before the committee under protest and acussed the PAC and especially its chairman Albert Kan Dapaah of supervising unfair and criminal statements in the public against her person and aimed at tarnishing her image.
She also said she may be unable to answer certain questions because she is under an oath of secrecy not to reveal certain issues.
The former AG said her lawyers have been denied access to official records on the case and pleaded with the committee chairman to direct that his counsel be given copies.
She further submitted that the unavailability of some of those documents will compromise her ability to recall some issues.
However Mr Kan Dapaah rejected the allegation that himself and the committee have violated Mrs Iddrisu’s rights and asked her to provide strict proof to her allegations.
He said the committee cannot stop anyone from commenting on the issues and added that that is why Mrs Mould Iddrisu has been given the opportunity to clear matters.
One of the members of the committee, Isaac Asiamah was unhappy about what he said was the attempt by some witnesses to flout the authority of the PAC and its chair.
Mrs Betty Mould currently explaining the events that led to Ghana arriving at the €94 million judgement debt awarded to the construction company.
The Chairman of the PAC revealed that CCW Limited and one other company would not be able to testify before the committee today since the hearing of Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu would eat into time.
The former AG submitted that she was advised by the SFO director that fraud action against CP was fruitless. She said she respected the decisions of her predecessors and retained external solicitors who urged her to opt for immediate global settlement due to the spiraling of interests on the money.
She said it would have been a misconduct not to have settled CP because the Constitution had imposed on her a duty to settle if that could be done.
The constitution does not oblige any AG to seek permission from the president or cabinet to negotiate or settle debts of this nature, she maintained.
The former AG ended her presentation by asking: What did Ghana benefit from my settlement? The nation benefited from a reduction from $162 million to $ 80 million, a freeze in the spiraling interest and an end to litigation, she concluded.
Does the constitution allow you to enter into agreement without a witness? she was asked.
In law, agreements do not need to be witnessed, she supplied.
Did you know of allegations of price inflation by CP?
She reads a document saying "the loaded contracts were never proceeded with."
PAC Chairman says it would have been useful to read Dr SKB Asante's dissenting opinion on the award.
Witness agrees, saying dissenting views can be very useful.
This is the price to pay if we don't respect our obligations.
Is the settlement final? John Tia asks.
There is a payment scheduled and the unsigned and undated settlement is a trigger for claims for interests if the schedule is not completed.
Counsel for Betty Mould Iddrisu, cites AMA case and says Betty Mould tried to intervene but AMA did not listen and now the debt has piled up.
Was the executive approval sought before the payment of the final figure agreed on?
The team was fully aware, she answers.
Who were the members of the team?
She reads minutes of a meeting.
"I did not write to, say, the Chief of Staff on the final figure before instructing payment to be made," she said.
She was not required under Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution to do so.
Settlement after a long litigation was a disservice.
I was in anguish, having to settle on such a huge amount as a Ghanaian.
Chairman says she has a duty to name those whose inaction put Ghana in that precarious situation.
Chairman closes sitting, thanking witness for giving Committee a lot of information "which I must say is in conflict with a lot of things other people have told us."
He hopes next week, she will be available to answer questions in respect of the contradictions.
Counsel for witness, thanks committee.
Mrs Iddrisu's supporters cheered her after sitting was officially adjourned.
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