Mahama wants to do ‘kro-kro-de-John on Judgment debt – Kofi Jumah

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Created on Tuesday, 09 October 2012 00:00

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Mahama wants to do ‘kro-kro-de-John on Judgment debt – Kofi Jumah

09 October 2012

The New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, has scoffed at the appointment of Justice Yaw Appau as the sole Commissioner for Judgment Debts, describing it as an attempt to cover up the issues.

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According to Mr Jumah, Mr Justice Appau has a long history of associating with the NDC and its parent PNDC, and it would therefore be illogical to expect such a person to find anything wrong with an NDC government’s actions.

In particular, he wondered if Justice Appau could make any adverse findings against President Mahama, who has challenged anybody with proof of corruption against him to report it to the appropriate authorities.

The President’s action were akin to ‘Kro-kro-john,’ to wit trying to deceive the public, a popular saying in the Ashanti region, Kofi Jumah said.

Maxwell Kofi Jumah made the allegation when he spoke on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Tuesday October 9, 2012 on the swearing-in of Justice Yaw Appau, who is currently the President of the Magistrates and Judges of Association of Ghana, as the Sole-Commissioner of Judgment debt, in fulfillment of President John Mahama’s pledge to appoint an independent sole commissioner to investigate the judgment debt cases the nation has been confronted with.

The Court of Appeal judge will be responsible for probing the numerous cases of judgment debts paid by the government to individuals and multinationals and to advise on the way forward in settling judgment debts.

Commenting on the sole Commissioner’s appointment, Mr Jumah alleged that Justice Appau was a “member of the Association of Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (ACDR),” a key organ of the Rawlings-led military government in the 1980’s, and “was a Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister under Owusu Acheampong, and you expect us to think he is impartial?”

“He shouldn’t have accepted the position” given his background, he added. “Wouldn’t he have disqualified a jury member in his court if such a situation had arisen?”

As well, there was no guarantee the government would take any action on the recommendations of any committee set up to investigate judgment debt issues going by its track record, especially when it asked the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) to investigate the matter but so far no action has been taken.

Also commenting on the show, anti corruption crusader P. C. Appiah Ofori, MP for Asikuma Odoben Brakwa poured cold water on the President's move. Citing precedent - the Mills government's failure to investigate his allegation that MPs were bribed to approve the Vodafone deal – the long-serving MP wondered, with particular reference to the Woyome saga:

“The Committee is not necessary. Committee to do what? The recommendations of a previous committee (EOCO) was ignored.

“It is clear this man (Woyome) did not do anything for Ghana to merit the money but he has been paid. This matter is in court, and we all know when a case is in court you can’t discuss it, so the Committee cannot discuss it or go into it.

“The intention is good, but they cannot implement the recommendation. There is a precedent, the Vodafone one. It’s just a waste of money and time.”

From: Frank Agyei-Twum/Adomonline.com