RB Leipzig have put a £100million price tag on star forward ‘s head as they look to price interested clubs out of a deal. Nkunku is one of the hottest properties in Europe after scoring a superb 35 goals in 52 appearances in all competitions last season.
But as reported by the Independent, the Bundesliga side are aiming to ward off interest by demanding nine figures from any suitors.
The five cap France international is thought to prefer a stay at the Red Bull Arena this season, with Leipzig believed to have convinced him to sign a new contract with a release clause to keep him for one more year.
However, that could mean a long transfer saga next season as plenty of European heavyweights vie for his signature.
The Reds’ interest is expected to end after they agreed an £85m deal for Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.
However, United missing out on the Uruguayan means they reportedly considered a firm approach for Nkunku.
Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in a £51million deal. Haaland, one of the world’s most sought-after players, will officially join City from Borussia Dortmund on a five-year contract on July 1.
City said on May 10 that they had reached an agreement in principle with Dortmund to sign the 21-year-old and the club announced on Monday that the deal is complete.
‘This is a proud day for me and my family,’ said Haaland. ‘I have always watched City and have loved doing so in recent seasons. You can’t help but admire their style of play, it’s exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me.
‘There are so many world-class players in this squad and Pep is one of the greatest managers of all-time, so I believe I am in the right place to fulfil my ambitions.
‘I want to score goals, win trophies, and improve as a footballer and I am confident I can do that here. This is a great move for me, and I can’t wait to get started in pre-season.’
Haaland is one of the most prolific goalscorers in world football and has netted 86 times in 89 appearances for Dortmund during two-and-a-half years there.
City had been waiting for Haaland to finish international duty with Norway and the official opening of the transfer window before unveiling their marquee signing.
The Athletic reports the club have planned a special event to reveal Haaland to the world, similar to those given to the likes of Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez.
Gerard Pique has sensationally been told by Xavi – the Barcelona manager and his former team-mate – that he is no longer part of his plans and can leave the Nou Camp.
It has been revealed that the Spanish international was told he has no future at the club two weeks ago due to unprofessional conduct off the field and his deteriorating physical condition.
The shock revelation from Xavi came just days before Pique’s high-profile split from Colombian singer Shakira came to light. Spanish media outlet SPORT also claims that Xavi’s primary issue with the player is his numerous business interests off the field, and it is believed that Pique is owed approximately €40million (£34.3m) by Barca for deferred payments.
Xavi reportedly spoke to his former team-mate directly and made it clear that Pique is not going to be included in his plans for the future.
While Xavi doesn’t question Pique’s ability to perform at the highest level, it is thought he has concerns about the veteran defender’s ability to cope with the hectic schedule within modern football.
The club hope that Pique will make a dignified exit this summer and even let them off some of the £34.3m that they owe him, just like legendary figure Carles Puyol did when he left in 2014.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, Spiritual head of Kotoko having a feel of the trophy
Otumfuo Osei TutuRichard Boadu AgadesRichard Lamptey in a lap of honour with the trophyThe players patiently waiting to present the league trophy to OtumfuoLeft Back Ibrahim Imoro enjoys a kingly ride from his coachLeft Back Ibrahim ImoroSkipper Ganiyu walks majestically into Manyhia palaceCoach Prosper Ogum savours the league trophy with his technical teamSkipper Ganiyu lifts the league trophyFabio Gama in a pose with the league trophyFabio Gama’s wife and daughterKotoko fans in loud voice as they cheer their teamStriker Etouga Mbella in ecstatic mood
The Police Administration has commenced inquisition into alleged persistent interference by a senior police officer at the national headquarters in land cases being investigated and prosecuted by the police at Katamanso, in the Kpone Katamanso Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The action followed a petition by a Godrich Nii Arday Ankrah, of the Okley Family, in Katamanso, against Chief Superintendent Mr Solomon Ayewini Aboyinga at the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The petition dated January 27, 2022 and headed – ‘THE UNLAWFUL USE OF POLICE AUTHORITY BY C/SUPT MR SOLOMON AYEWINI ABOYINGA FOR HIS CONSTANT AND PERSISTENT INTERFERENCE IN LAND CASES BEING INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED BY THE KATAMANSO POLICE’ reads;
I write for and on behalf of OKLEY FAMILY as they act through myself, who is their representative on this matter.
My name is Godrich Nii Arday Ankrah, to humbly request the urgent intervention of your good offices to investigate and immediately halt the repeated and illegitimate use of authority by C/Supt Mr Solomon Ayewini Aboyinga, in criminal complaint I lodged at the Katamanso Police Station involving the use of armed wielding land guards in attempts by some faceless developer in continuously committing acts of trespass and attempting to violently take over our family land.
Our family’s land, which we have owned and occupied for several decades is evidenced by the Land Certificate No. TD. TD 221 Vol 019 Folio 949.For the avoidance of doubt, no court in Ghana has set aside our family title in the Land and under Section 119 of Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036).
Our interest in the Land remains indefensible against all claims unless set aside specifically by a court and any subsequent judgement affecting our grantors will not affect our grant. From the foregoing, it is quite clear that our family has the valid title to the Land, which has not been set aside by any court and that there is no legal basis for any person whosoever to enter the Land without our consent and furthermore disrupt activities of our grantees in a very callous and violent manner.
The 1992 Constitution also guarantees the non-interference of his land without due process or legal basis. These encroachers, knowing that our family has a stronger claim and title have resorted to using gun wielding land guards to terrorise us instead of resorting to the courts.
These land guards first entered the land earlier last month, December 2021. They have since continued the occupation of the land and have begun pegging the land and have threatened to deal with anyone that comes close to the land, and in most instances they fired shots indiscriminately.
As law abiding citizens, we rely on the police to protect us from these criminals and unlawful intruders, especially with the passing of the anti-land guard laws.
As such we lodged a complaint at the Katamanso Police Station and these individuals were arrested with overwhelming evidence of their nefarious activities. They were then put before the courts, which I must say was very commendable.
However, it is unfortunate that some police officers have an intention to rather insulate and provide protection for these thugs to breach the law.
The accused persons failed to appear before court, bench warrant was issued but the above named senior police officer instructed the Katamanso Police to withdraw the case that was before court of competent jurisdiction and bring it to him at the CID Headquarters.
The said police officer again sent one Inspector Amanor to the Katamanso Police Station to release the exhibit motorbikes that were being used by the vigilantes, which had been impounded by the police.
These thugs have become emboldened and brag about that even the IGP cannot stop them and that we are at their mercy.
To this end, your timely intervention to put to an end this attempt to intimidate, extort and ultimately take over our land is greatly appreciated. We are available to provide any additional information required in your investigation and action.
On February 2, 2022 the IGP responded to the petition and informed the petitioner per a letter signed by the Chief Staff Officer, Chief Superintendent, Mr Alex Kwame Sarfo-Adu, of the receipt of the petition and action being taken.
“Receipt is hereby acknowledged to your letter dated 27th January, 2022, in respect of the above subject matter addressed to Inspector General of Police, with copies to the Director General/Legal and the Criminal Investigation Department.
I am directed by the Inspector General of Police to inform you that, your petition is under investigation and the outcome will be communicated to you in due course, please,”
As the land guard activities persist unabated, the land owners also maintained their vigilance on the property.
On March 31, 2022 the Special Investigation Branch (SIB) of the Ghana Military Police, following a report that a particular Staff Sergeant Kwakye Bernard was allegedly performing what was described as ‘reconnaissance duties’ on the track of land before the arrival of the invading group, invited the said Senior Non Commission Officer.
At the end, S/Sgt Kwakye made an undertaking and promised never to set foot on the tract of land, failure which legal or disciplinary action will be initiated against him.
The said land is sandwiched between Katamanso and Amrahia, on both sides of the road, before the historic Katamanso Forest.
Dr Dampare and KON after commissioning the project
Akyem Akokoaso, a town in the Ofoase/Ayirebi district has been gifted with a new Police Station built by the town folks, with the support of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, joined the MP to hand over the station to the District Police Command.
At a brief exercise on Saturday, June 11, 2022 Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the facility is part of efforts to improve security in the District to compliment investments in infrastructure and livelihoods.
“An integral part to the development of any community or country is security. That is why we have made frantic efforts at providing this edifice to carter for the security needs of my beloved constituents, especially those in Akokoaso and its immediate environs,” he said.
This, the Ofoase Ayirebi MP, charged constituents to also contribute their quota by supporting the Police to effectively fight crime in the constituency, since fighting crime is a collective responsibility.
The IGP, who officially opened the facility, tasked his officers to discharge their duties with dignity and respect.
He further urged his men to ensure that the facility and other resources made available to the service to fight crime in the constituency are properly maintained and taken care of.
President Akufo-Addo planting a seedling to mark the 2022 Green Ghana Day in Accra. With him are some of his appointees
President Akufo-Addo (displaying a sigh) after planting a seedling to mark the 2022 Green Ghana Day in Accra. With him are some of his appointees
The determination by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to restore the popular Achimota Forest to its original state is on course.
Last Friday, reporters toured some areas where trees were planted in 2021 maiden edition of the Green Ghana Project and all the tree seem to be doing well.
This has motivated the ministry to plant more of the trees in the forest and all parts of the country during the second edition of the Green Ghana Day, which took place throughout the country on Friday, last week.
CEREMONY
In the early hours of Friday, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo opened the nationwide exercise to plant 20 million trees this year, by planting a tree at the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra. He did that after encouraging everyone in the country to at least plant a tree.
Whilst addressing a gathering who appeared very enthusiastic about planting their trees, President Akufo-Addo was confident that the ambitious target of planting 20 million trees would be attained if Ghanaians patronised the exercise.
Despite the importance of forests to human existence, he said forest reserves in the country were being depleted at an alarming rate, giving statistics to back up his claim.
“Worldwide, some 1.6 billion people depend on the forest for their livelihoods. In Ghana, some 85 percent of the population relies on forest resources to satisfy socio-cultural needs,” he said.
The President expressed concerns over the current situation, where globally, some 79 million acres of rain forest are lost daily.
President Akufo-Addo said the aggressive afforestation and reforestation drive by the government was to help restore lost forest cover and halt the current rate of deforestation.
“It is in this spirit that I call on each and every one of you, whether you are a Ghanaian or not, so far as you are in Ghana, to join us today to plant at least 20 million trees. Together, let us build a greener future for current and future generations of Ghanaians and mankind,” he said.
LANDS MINISTER
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, who also planted a tree at the park, underscored the importance of trees to the survival of humanity and urged all Ghanaians to participate in the Green Ghana project. He expressed the ministry’s commitment to work with its various agencies and stakeholders to protect the country’s forests from further degradation.
He announced a number of initiatives the ministries were pursuing in that regard, including a review of wildlife regulations to save the country’s forest resources from destruction.
GREEN GHANA
Green Ghana is an initiative by the Akufo-Addo government to annually plant trees to achieve a target of 100 million trees by the end of 2024. The project began last year with the planting of 7 million trees. Seedlings planted this year included native timber species, shade trees, multi-purpose leguminous trees, ornamental and fruit trees.
Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye answering a question at the press conference
Mr Asenso Boakye addressing the journalists
In order to protect lives and properties that are usually lost through perennial flooding in the country’s capital, government has developed the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS).
This was announced by the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, at a press conference organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday.
The FEWS, which will be in operation by the end of next year, will ensure that advance notices are given to flood-prone communities, towns and cities to enable them take precautions.
“…Moreover, the design of a Flood Early Warning System for Accra has been completed …People in vulnerable communities will have the benefit of advance notice of floods, so they can take steps to protect lives,” Minister Asenso-Boakye said.
The Chronicle reporter asking the minister a question
The System has been designed to operate in a Pull and Push format. The Pull system will require individuals to download an application onto their mobile phones and get access to issues concerning floods, while the push system will involve the central operators sending key messages to individuals.
The Minister noted that the system is part of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, which is intended to improve flood risk management and solid waste management in the Odaw River Basin of the Greater Accra Region and improve access to basic infrastructure and services in the targeted communities within the Odaw River Basin.
He again noted that it is part of the many other interventions the government is putting in place to salvage flood issues in the capital and beyond.
He took time to outline some other initiatives the government is working on to curb floods in the capital and other flood prone areas in the country.
Fatimatu Abubakar, Deputy Minister for Information
According to him, a total of 35km of drains were constructed as a result of the 2018 and 2020 National Flood Control project and mentioned some of the beneficiary communities as; Madina Mayehot and Weija GICCEL in the Greater Accra region.
Kasoa Iron City and Kosoa Obom City are some of the places in the Central region that benefited from the project, while the people of Kwesimitsim were the ones that benefited from a drainage project in the Western region.
The Bantama Legislator also noted that climate change is one of the factors that causes floods and in order to mitigate them, the government has ensured that drainage infrastructures that are being put up in the country are flood-resilient.
Minister Asenso-Boakye also observed that the habit of building on waterways and the dumping of refuse in gutters are other contributing factors to floods.
He noted that to solve this issue, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have been tasked to ensure that obstructions to the free flow of water, as well as developments along water ways are removed immediately.
“MMDAs must strictly enforce the planning laws and punish officials who flout the planning laws in our bid to protect lives and livelihood”.
Aside floods, Mr Asenso-Boakye also noted that coastal erosion has been a headache to some coastal communities in the country and hence took time to touch on some projects that the government has put in place to savage the situation.
“Over the years, coastal areas have remained vulnerable to coastal erosion and this risk is exacerbated by the potential rise in sea level.
“Accordingly, government has considered the protection of the country’s coastline as very critical to our development. Government has implemented several coastal protection projects to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of people living in coastal communities.”
He made mention of the Komenda, New Takoradi, Aboadze, Cape Coast, Anomabu, Ningo Prampram coastal protection projects, which are at various stages of completion, and assured that government will complete them in order to protect the lives of people living in coastal areas.
Mr Osei Assibey Antwi addressing the stakeholder meeting
The personalities that attended the stakeholder meeting
As part of its determination to ensure that more national service personnel acquire employable skills to be gainfully employed or establish their own enterprises to reduce the unemployment rate, the National Service Scheme has introduced an online portal called “Flair”.
Flair is an employability platform, which also offers user agencies the opportunity to make request for graduates with specific skills or training to undertake national service at their end.
The portal also offers stakeholders the opportunity to benefit from skill matching information, which include course of study or profession and serves as data base that provides information on both national service personnel and user agencies.
The Executive Directors of the NSS, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, announced this at a user agency stakeholder meeting at the Cedi Conference Hall, University of Ghana, Accra.
The day’s conference attracted representatives of over 1,000 private companies and enterprises that use national service personnel which was on the theme, “Partnership for Efficient Service Delivery”.
Already, similar workshops have been organised for all tertiary educational institutions across the country on the new vision and the platform.
Mr Osei Assibey described the user agencies as formidable partners of the national service scheme in attaining the vision of “Deployment for Employment.”
The National Service Scheme recently launched its new vision of “Deployment for Employment”, away from the previous mandate of just deploying personnel.
It has also held discussions with the Ghana Employers Association and the Association Ghana Industries on its new vision.
Mr Osei Assibey noted that the NSS had decided to work assiduously with user agencies and other partners to ensure that the one-year period for the national service was used judiciously to provide top-up training for the graduates.
This, he explained, was to ensure that service personnel who undertake their service at other organisations gained skills that would make them employable while the NSS also through its numerous modules was offering skills to many others.
“The shift in paradigm from purely deploying personnel for a year to an agency that offers permanent employment opportunities, as well as provide entrepreneurial and employment skills for the youth has become necessary due to the increasing unemployment rate,” Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, has announced.
He explained that the new move was aimed at repositioning the scheme to retain some of its personnel after their national service and also to ensure that those who went out to the world of work were capable and ready to create their own companies, employ others and or fit and ready to be employed.
Modules
Mr Osei Assibey mentioned some of the modules designed by the NSS to incubate national service personnel into global entrepreneurs to include ‘NSS-Ghana Tourism Authority Support programme, construction (housing) of real estate and public facilities; agriculture and NSS-Techlab partnership to design computer application system;
He said, henceforth, the over 30,000 national service personnel who would be posted to teach at all educational levels would be given at least a month’s training and was of the strong conviction that by the time they entered the classroom, they would have provisional teaching license.
“There is a law in this country which frowns on teaching without pedagogic training, we have linked up with National Teaching Council (NTC), which is developing the curriculum that would be used for the short training,” he explained.
Aside the training, he said the NSS was partnering with T-Tel for funding to support the NTC to organise the training, adding that the NSS was arranging for funding to provide a 14-month online training that would give the personnel a professional diploma certificate in teaching.
In a speech read on his behalf, a Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour said for the private sector, turnaround time was important and also abhor bureaucracies that dissipate time and resources, “so for the National Service Secretariat to introduce such a portal is commendable”.
He said the NSS has moved a step ahead as an effective public sector agency to provide the private sector the required support so that they would be in a better stead to ensure a stronger collaboration that would address their needs and that of the teeming Ghanaian youth.
The fourth defence witness (DW4) in a cocoa trial, Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum, says Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni did not commit any fraud while heading the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
He said Dr. Opuni (A1), who, together with businessman Seidu Agongo (A2) and his company, Agricult Ghana Limited (A3), had been accused of 27 crimes, including defrauding by false pretences, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, corruption of public official, and contravention of the Public Procurement Act, worked consistently with the policies of the Board.
Ambassador Ohene Agyekum, a former Board Chairman of COCOBOD, told the Criminal Division ‘1’ of the Accra High Court that there was no instance that Dr. Opuni influenced the procurement process to benefit Seidu Agongo and his company, supplier of Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser.
He added that there was also no instance, as the court had been made to believe, when Seidu Agongo and his company were assisted by Dr. Opuni to perpetrate fraud on COCOBOD in the selling Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser to COCOBOD.
DW4 told the court, presided over by Justice Clemence Honyenuga, on Friday: “With all due respect, my reaction would be, where are all these coming from? A1 during my term of office did not, certainly not perpetrate any fraud. My lord, the Chief Executive of the management of COCOBOD, and with my little knowledge of corporate responsibility, whatever he did was consistent with the policies of the Board.”
Ambassador Ohene Agyekum, under cross-examination by counsel for A2 and A3, Nutifafa Nutsukpi, holding brief for Benson Nutsukpi, said Dr. Opuni could not influence the decision of the Board and the Entity Tender Committee (ETC), because the Board based its decisions on the advice of experts.
The witness also said he doubted whether the University of Ghana Chemistry Department really tested Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, since he was not aware of any scientific report to that effect, particularly an agrochemical that was tested in a classroom and a conclusion drawn on same.
Excerpts of questions and answers:
Q. Now sir, you told the court at the last sitting that you attended all the meetings of the Entity Tender Committee?
A. That is so my lord.
Q. And you took the court through the process of deliberations and decision-making process of the Entity Tender Committee?
A. That is correct.
Q. Sir, please tell the honourable court whether there are any decisions of the Entity Tender Committee that had been influenced in any way whatsoever by the second and third accused persons.
A. My short answer is that decisions are arrived at due to the process which existed when I was the Chairman of the Board. We were not, and absolutely not, influenced by the second and third accused persons whatsoever.
Q. Sir, would you remember some of the persons you served with on the Entity Tender Committee?
A. Yes, if my memory serves me right, because it has been quite a time. I can’t remember all the names. There was institutional representation, which means that there was a representative of the Attorney-General’s Department; I believe her name was Mrs. Isakah. There was also I believe one Mr. Dodoo who also served on the Entity Tender Committee. I’m not able to recollect any of the other names. We were about seven or nine in number.
Q. In your evidence-in-chief, I’m referring to your witness statement, Exhibits L and M, paragraph 16?
A. Yes my lord, I did refer to Exhibits L and M, which are captured.
Q. Now sir, Exhibit L, dated February 11, 2014, is a letter addressed to the Secretary of Cabinet. Is that correct sir?
A. Correct.
Q. And Exhibit M, dated February 13, 2014, is also a letter from COCOBOD addressed to the Honourable Minister for Finance. Is that correct sir?
A. Correct.
Q. Sir, if you will kindly turn to the 2nd pages of Exhibits L and M, you will see on the tables of those pages, you have the following fertilisers listed; Asasera, Cocoa Master, Cocoa Feed, Sidaco 10:10:10, Sidaco 60:20, and Lithovit. Is that correct sir?
A. What I read here is absolutely correct sir.
Q. And sir, if you take a look at Exhibit N; on the 2nd page of Exhibit N, you will see that the same Asasera, Cocoa Master, Cocoa Feed, Sidaco 10:10:10, Sidaco 60:20, and Lithovit are also listed on the 2nd page of Exhibit N?
A. Correct.
Q. Now Exhibit N is the letter from COCOBOD to PPA seeking approval to sole-source the fertilisers we have just referred to on the 2nd page of Exhibit N. That is correct sir?
A. That is correct.
Q. Please take a look at Exhibit V shown to you now. It is a letter from the PPA to Ghana Cocoa Board dated March 15, 2014, granting COCOBOD approval to sole source Asasera, Cocoa Master, Cocoa Feed, Sidaco 10:10:10, Sidaco 60:20, and Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser. Is that correct sir?
A. That is correct, and that is in accordance with the procedures that I talked about in my previous statement.
Q. Now sir, these fertilisers types contained in Exhibits L, M, N and V were selected by experts of the CODAPEC/HITECH Unit at the time. Is that correct?
A. That is correct my lord. As I tried to explain in my evidence-in-chief, it is the CODAPEC and HITECH which determine the procedures, the quantities and types of fertilisers for every cocoa season.
Q. Now sir, at the ETC’s 54th meeting held in the Board Room of the Cocoa House on March 4, 2014, Asasera, Cocoa Master, Cocoa Feed, Sidaco 10:10:10, Sidaco 60:20, and Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser were approved by the ETC for the CODAPEC/HITECH programme for the 2013/2014 cocoa season. Is that correct?
A. It is correct so far as I can recollect.
Q. Sir, these fertilisers types that were approved by the Board, the ETC, and for the purchase by COCOBOD for the 2013/14 cocoa season were in no way determined by any suppliers of the fertilisers?
A. That is absolutely correct. They were in no way determined by any of the suppliers of the fertilisers.
Q. And sir again, by the policy of the Board that you chaired at the time, all those fertilisers that were bought for CODAPEC/HITECH programme were distributed to the farmers for free. That is correct?
A. That is correct, and if I may add further, the decision to provide fertilisers free of charge was for a very good reason, and as a cocoa farmer’s son and lived with all the difficulties and challenges faced by the cocoa farmers, together with my Board and Entity members, we sincerely believe that providing these items, as well as constructing good accessible roads within the cocoa farming areas was the right thing to do.
Q. Now sir again, on February 8, 2015, the ETC, at its 17th Emergency Meeting held in the Board room of the Cocoa House, approved for the purchase of COCOBOD the following fertilisers: Cocoa Feed, Asasera, Fert Agra Caco, Elite Organic Fertilizer, Lithovit liquid fertilizer and Sidaco Liquid fertilizer (Balance). That is correct?
A. My lord in all sincerity, I don’t have the documents you are referring to.
Q. Now sir, to your recollection, in all of the meetings of the ETC, the members were aware of the goods or services that they were granting COCOBOD approval to procure. Is that correct?
A. That is correct my lord.
Q. Now, what would be your reaction to the 7th prosecution witness who told the court that the ETC did not know what they were approving when they granted the approval to COCOBOD to procure the Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser?
A. My Lord, my immediate reaction would be that piece of evidence is tantamount to insulting the intelligence of the members of the ETC. We knew what we were about. My lord, with all due respect, we were not a bunch of ignoramuses. Even if we were not experts, we were literate enough, knowledgeable enough, and intelligent enough to read and appreciate the distinction between a solid material and liquid material. And in this particular case, through a technical presentation by the experts from CRIG, we clearly understood both the liquid or granular or solid fertilisers that we approved.
Q. Now sir, the court found that Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, which the Board of COCOBOD and the ETC, all of which you have chaired, had approved and, which COCOBOD bought, was worthless and that the state has received no value for the Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser. What might be your reaction to these findings by the court sir?
A. With all due respect, with emphasis, I find the court findings rather strange to me.
Q. Why would you say so?
A. My Lord, my reason is as follows; 1. As a Board Chairman, I was very much aware that there was a unit within the COCOBOD, which I referred to in my earlier submission, that is to say, CHED. I’m very much aware that that Division was responsible for the monitoring of how the fertilisers and other agrochemicals were applied in the fields and that there was, or there should be such a report by CHED at COCOBOD. I’m aware of my passion for the cocoa farmer, and the farming industry as a whole, that CHED trains the cocoa farmers on the proper application of the fertilisers. And so, my lord, I’m saying that there should be such a report that concluded that Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser was defective.
Q. Sir, how did you get to know about this CHED report?
A. Because of some of the things that went on; some of them were not discussed formally. In an informal way, and because of my passion, I will go and ask questions from those in charge of the programme. In any case, it was the policy of the Board that you don’t similarly purchase fertilisers and distribute them to farmers and subsequently fold your arms and not try to find out whether a particular fertiliser is effective or not. It may be of interest to the court that we also had a representative of the Cocoa Farmers Association, I believe his name was Nana Damoah. I believe he is from the Brong Ahafo Region… so my lord occasionally we share information in terms of the benefits of the programmes and implementations of the policies that we, as a Board, have adopted.
Q. Now, from your experience of chairing the Board and the ETC from January 2014 to January 2017, how easy was it for an individual to gain the procurement or otherwise rig the procurement process for the benefit of a particular product or a particular supplier?
A. That is absolutely impossible. I can’t imagine. It is inconceivable that any particular individual can or could influence the choice or decision to award a contract in favour of that particular person. It is simply impossible, and it could not happen under my watch during my time.
Q. Sir, what would be your reaction to the finding of the court in its rulings on the submission of no case that A2 and 3 were assisted by A1 to perpetrate fraud on COCOBOD by selling the Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser to COCOBOD?
A. With all due respect, my reaction would be where all these are coming from? A1 during my term of office did not, certainly not perpetrate any fraud. My lord, the CE of the management of COCOBOD and with my little knowledge of corporate responsibility, whatever he did was consistent with the policies of the Board.
Q. Now sir, as far as you are aware, and based on your experience as chairman of both the Baird and the ETC at the time, did A1 ever influence the procurement process to benefit A2 and A3?
A. My Lord, I can say as far as I am aware, A1 never acted in a way that could have influenced the decision of either the Board or the ETC. In my poor capacity at both the board and the ETC, such a thing never happened.
Q. Now sir, it is also in evidence in this court from the prosecution witness from the University of Ghana that when they tested the Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, it had barely any properties that would make it effective. During your turner as the Chairman were you aware of any test that was carried on the Lithovit that came with a similar conclusion?
A. My short answer is no. I was not made aware of any such scientific test.
Q. Sir, since you have left office have you become aware of any test carried out that cast any doubt on the efficiency of Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser that your Board had procured for cocoa farmers?
A. No I was not aware of any such report. I want to conclude, if you can conduct scientific research in a classroom and you draw a conclusion, such as it was drawn by the University Ghana professor, then I would state it was certainly not the same Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser that the Board purchased and provided the farmers free of charge.
Counsel: My lord, that would be all for the witness.
Cross-examination by Chief State Attorney Evelyn Keelson.
Q. Ambassador Ohene Agyekum.
A. Yes.
Q. You were the Board Chair of the Cocoa Board between January 2014 and January 2017?
A. That is correct.
Q. Can you tell the court your professional background?
A. My lord. that would be a very long story.
Q. Make it brief.
A. I joined the Ghana Foreign Service many years ago, and for the most part, I served as a professional diplomat until I retired in 1983. My lord, that sums up my professional background.
Court: The case is adjourned to June 24 at10:00am.
