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Minority demands list of companies paid GHS300m judgement debt

By Justice Kofi Bimpeh
Cassiel Ato Forson
Cassiel Ato Forson
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The Minority in Parliament is demanding full disclosure of companies who benefited from the GHS300m judgement debt paid by the Finance Ministry.

Minority's spokesperson on Finance Cassiel Ato Forson said per their check some of the companies paid does not qualify to be paid the said amounts.

Speaking to Citi FM, he said the Finance Ministry must provide them with the list of companies paid.

"The Minister cannot come to Parliament and make a general statement that they have paid an amount of 200m being judgement debt he has the responsibility to give us the break down as to who the Ministry of Finance has paid, we are hearing that they've paid the likes of McDan they have paid Bank Switch and even the special prosecutor an amount of judgement debt as to whether they qualify to receive the amount is something we will have to investigate that why i requested from the Minister responsible for finance to give us the break down my argument is in the case of Bank Switch and you will notice that the minister in his answer said that about 80 million cedis was paid to that particular company and i suspect that is Bank Switch that is why I asked that question......."

GHS300m judgement debt

The Government of Ghana has paid over GHS283 million in judgment debts since January 2017.

This is according to an answer cited in the order paper of Parliament from the Finance Minister in response to a question filed by MP for Mion, Abdul Aziz Mohammed.

“Government continues to pay several millions of cedis in judgment debt to individuals and companies for contracts. In January 2017, the outstanding judgment debt we came to meet totals over GHC 282 million.”

“Government’s approach is to renegotiate these judgment debts and ensure that we make as much savings as possible and continue to protect the public purse.”

The House scheduled the Finance Minister to tell the nation how much the Government paid in judgment debt from January 2017 to date.

Judgment debts involve decisions of courts directing payments to be made to a party in a court case.

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