Minority Caucus in Parliament has noted it will continue to support its leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in the ongoing ambulance case.
According to them, the caucus “will only be available for the business of Parliament after proceedings of the court have ended on the days scheduled for the hearing”.
The Minority disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, when Parliament resumed sitting for the third meeting of the fourth session of the eighth Parliament stating that, their decision follows the refusal of the presiding High Court judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe (Mrs), to grant a request from the lawyers of the Minority Leader for the leave of the court to enable him to attend to important parliamentary business.
“The NDC Minority Caucus has taken notice of this worrying trend that shows an attempt by the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, to prevent the Minority Leader from performing his constitutional duties as an elected Member of Parliament and the Leader of the Minority Caucus. In the light of the above, and the continuous persecution of the Minority Leader, the NDC Minority will continue to solidarise and stand by its Leader anytime he is due to appear in court”, they stressed.
Ato Forson and a businessman are currently standing trial for allegedly causing financial loss of € 2.37 million to the state in a deal to purchase 200 ambulances for the country between 2014 and 2016.
They have both pleaded not guilty to counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state, abetment to willfully cause financial loss to the state, contravention of the Public Procurement Act and intentionally misapplying public property.
Facts of the case presented by the prosecution said in 2009 while delivering the State of the Nation Address, the then President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, indicated that new ambulances would be purchased to expand the operations of the National Ambulance Service.
The facts said, Jakpa, who is a local representative of Big Sea General Trading Ltd, a company based in Dubai, subsequently approached the Ministry of Health with a proposal that he had arranged for finance from Stanbic Bank for the supply of 200 ambulances to the government.
Parliament then approved the financing agreement between the government and Stanbic Bank.
On November 19, 2012, Dr Anemana wrote to the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) seeking approval to engage Big Sea through single sourcing for the supply of the 200 ambulances.
The facts added that on August 7, 2014, Dr Forson wrote to the Bank of Ghana for Letters of Credit covering €3.95 million for the supply of 50 ambulances in favour of Big Sea.
The Letters of Credit were accordingly released to Big Sea.
It is the case of the prosecution that 10 of the ambulances delivered under the deal on December 16, 2014, were fundamentally defective with some not even having any medical equipment in them, causing a financial loss to the state.
Below is the minority’s statement
PRESS STATEMENT
NDC MINORITY CAUCUS TO SOLIDARISE WITH MINORITY LEADER, DR. CASSIEL ATO FORSON IN ONGOING COURT CASE
The NDC Minority Caucus will only be available for the business of Parliament after proceedings of the court have ended on the days scheduled for the hearing of the ongoing ambulance case trial.
The decision comes on the back of the refusal of the presiding High Court judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe (Mrs), to grant a request from the lawyers of the Minority Leader for the leave of the court to enable him attend to important parliamentary business on Tuesday, 11th June, 2024 when the House resumes its third meeting of the fourth session.
Last week, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe again rejected a similar request from the Parliament of Ghana to enable the Minority Leader take part in a meeting of the Parliamentary Service Board which was due to take critical decisions ahead of the resumption of Parliament, among others. The NDC Caucus was left with no representation at these important meetings.
Today, as Parliament commences its third meeting of the fourth session of the eighth Parliament, the Minority Leader is expected to deliver a resumption address, join parliamentary leadership to engage the press and undertake other important activities, as part of his legislative mandate. These are part of very important parliamentary duties exclusively reserved for the leader of a Parliamentary Caucus at the commencement of a parliamentary meeting.
The NDC Minority Caucus has taken notice of this worrying trend that shows an attempt by the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, to prevent the Minority Leader from performing his constitutional duties as an elected Member of Parliament and the Leader of the Minority Caucus.
In the light of the above, and the continuous persecution of the Minority Leader, the NDC Minority will continue to solidarise and stand by its Leader anytime he is due to appear in court.
The NDC Minority Caucus further reserves the right to apply all other tools available to us in our approach to business on the floor.
**END**
KWAME GOVERNS AGBODZA, MP
MINORITY CHIEF WHIP
