Never again! President rues dubious judgement debts
The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, yesterday received the final report of the Sole Commissioner on Judgement Debt and assured the nation that never again would the government dole out dubious judgement debts.
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He said adequate measures within the framework of the National Anti-corruption Action Plan had been put in place to prevent the payment of such debts.
Although details of the findings of the 501-page report were not disclosed, the Sole Commissioner, Mr Justice Yaw Apau, appeared to have given a hint about his findings.
"The judgement debt syndrome has become an avenue for money making by some unscrupulous government and public officials," Mr Apau said.
The President said the commission's sittings gave testimony of the rot in the system.
"I have followed the work of the commission as much as my schedule has allowed me and the complicity of some public officials and their collaborators in the private sector is palpable.
"Even at the public hearings, many marvelled at the impunity and collusion of persons in both the public and the private sectors to use the system for their own gain," he said.
Swearing-in
President Mahama swore in Mr Justice Apau on October 8, 2012 as the sole commissioner at the time the issue of judgement debt had attracted much public attention.
The institution of the commission was in line with the President's determination to fight corruption in the public sector.
It was tasked, among other things, to examine the causes of judgement debts made in the public sector since the coming into force of the 1992 Constitution and whether the nation incurred any financial losses, and make recommendations to the government to prevent future payments.
At a point, a fire outbreak engulfed the building which housed the commission, and even though it did not affect the evidence gathered, it delayed the commission's work.
Steps already taken
President Mahama said even before the commission presented its report, the government had taken steps to prevent the payment of some of such doubtful, payments including one in which the Attorney General had to overturn a case in Kumasi in which the state would have paid an award of over GH¢300 million to a plaintiff.
He thanked Justice Apau for the good work and also congratulated him on his nomination to the Supreme Court.
Mr Justice Apau commended his team at the commission for the support.
