<<Print>>

Let me say that at the very beginning I wasn�t going to talk about this case because having referred to EOCO I would regard it to be sub-judice. But I want to say one or two things. When this case first broke, I was in the US and I ordered the two ministries involved, at the Attorney General�s Department and the Finance Ministry, to give me a report, a report which I wanted to be published so that the world would know what happened. But upon further thought, I thought that the issue is not whether the amount was paid, who paid it. EOCO may find itself having to go into other areas. First of all, who incurred the liability? Unfortunately, since this case broke, many people have turned themselves into lawyers and I�m yet to hear anyone talk about whether the liability which was incurred was as a result of a wilful causation of financial loss. It is one issue which we will have to look at and other issues; who were responsible? Now I asked also that a list of judgment debts and the beneficiaries be made available. I would want to tell the beneficiaries that I am not out to embarrass them -- no. The allegation was made that Mr Woyome was paid because he was NDC. I want the whole of the country to know that since we came to power we�ve paid a lot of judgement debts, and the country must know the size of those debts; who incurred them. And the payment, perhaps, as further step, we have to find out who incurred the liability because if the court awarded the judgement or awarded the cost, whatever it is, it�s a way of saying that the beneficiary is entitled to it. Now, who made it possible for that beneficiary to be entitled to that amount? So we may have to look critically at the issue of when were these debts incurred and who were responsible? But, I believe that at the end of the day those who say they want justice will say that Mr President, let us not stop here. It is important for us to find out whether they wilfully caused financial loss, and I want to assure them I will oblige them and take any further steps. It is important to find out who caused the loss, who incurred the liability? What did the court say? Mind you, quality grain involved $20 million, some of the payments that we have made are much much more than $20 million. So we have to look at the list and ask ourselves: how come that money which we could have used for some developmental activities have had to be paid to people who have been wronged? So once again, I want to emphasise that the beneficiaries are not my target. The people of Ghana must know how much we have paid and to ask who caused the liability which has resulted in the payment of these judgement debts?