Fallout of missing US$150,000 Community development fund

An amount of US$150,000 paid by Gulf Coast Resources, a mining company, to the People of Banka, a farming community in the Akyem Ofoase District of the Eastern Region of Ghana, has gone missing.

The money was part of an amount of US$500,000 earmarked by the company as part of its corporate social responsibility to the people of Banka after 20 years of mining gold in the community.

The decision on allocation of the money, according to an official of Golf Coast Resources, was based on the fact that it has operated in the community for several years and paid no compensation for farms and forest lands destroyed.

The Managing Director of Gulf Coast Resources, Asare Quansah , in an interview with this reporter, after several days and efforts to get his reaction to the issue, confirmed that he has really paid the US$150,000 to the Bankahene Nana Twiampomah III.

“We prepared the Stanbic Bank Cheque number 534403 to the tune of US$150,000, (One Hundred and Fifty Dollars in the name of Bankahe, through my lawyers. The Bankahene, Nana Twiampomah III, personally received the cheque from my lawyers.

“As at now, I submitted every document regarding the payment to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police service when they invited me for questioning. They are the agency responsible for investigating the case. That is all that I can say. I have confirmed to you that I have paid the money to the Bankahene. It's enough,” he told this reporter.

Officials of Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited have also confirmed the withdrawal of a sum of US$150,000 from the account of Gulf Coast Resources by Nana Twiampomah III. According to officials of the Bank, due to the huge nature of the money, the bank decided to use its closed-circuit camera (CCTV) to film him whilst withdrawing the money to serve as evidence in the future. The bank informs that it has cooperated with the Criminal Investigations Department on the issue and is ready to testify in court.

The Director at the Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), chief superintendent Mawusi, in an interview with this reporter confirmed he has already invited the Managing Director of Gulf Coast Resources for questioning and has taken documents from him regarding the money.

Besides, also he invited the Bankahene, Nana Twiampomah III, for questioning.

In an exclusive interview at his office, chief superintendent Mawusi disclosed that investigations into the case are far advanced and will soon be concluded. This will enable them to proceed to court for prosecution.

Chief Superintendent Mawusi confirmed that Nana Twiampomah was invited to Police Headquarters in early May 2012 for questioning, after the elders and people of Banka petitioned the Inspector General of police [IGP], Paul Tawiah Quaye -- copied to the Minister of Interior and the office of the President.

The Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) director said the Bankahene has written a statement on the issue to the police and added every detailed document to facilitate the investigations.

He noted that the Bankahene in his statement confirmed receiving the 150,000 dollars for and on behalf of the people of Banka. Chief Superintendent Mawusi however said Nana Twiampomah claimed that part of the money was given to him for legal documentations over the Gold concession.

Chief Superintendent Mawusi confirmed having a copy of the receipt signed by Nana Twiampomah III, the Bankahene. The receipt, he said, is being screened by the Police to determine its authenticity

Lawyer Kwame Gyan, Lawyer for Osabarima Twiampomah, also in a reaction added that his client indeed signed the receipt for the money and that the US $150,000 was received by his Client, the Bankahene. He also added that part of the money (US$150,000) was meant for legal fees and processing of legal documents covering the mining operations of Gulf Coast Resources. But the police said these issues will be analysed by the court very soon.

So the question this reporter is asking is: if all stakeholders have collaborated with the Police in their investigations, why is the case still pending on the desk of the Commercial Crime Unit Director?

Last week, the chief of Banka, Nana Twiampomah III, came out with a statement that he has no knowledge of any amount of US$150,000 he is accused of receiving from Gulf Coast Resources, despite the documented evidence implicating him.

This forced an Elder of the Town, Nana Yeboah Oko, to petition the IGP again in a meeting that was attended by this reporter in July. In the said meeting, the IGP summoned the CCU director and ordered him to speed-up the investigations and file the case at the High Court. But this is yet to happen.

This forced the elders of the Town to petition the Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. Gertrude Aikins, who then ordered the Police head-office to send the docket covering the case to the Attorney General's Department and the Minister of Justice to undertake legal scrutiny and possible prosecution. At the time of filing this report, the docket is said to have landed at the Ministry of Justice.

The chief is believed to have used part of the money to buy a four wheel Rexton vehicle with registration number WR511-11, which he is cruising in with his wife. .

It is also alleged that he has bought several houses in Accra with the Queen mother of the town. It is further said that he has a Toyota Camry Saloon Car bought for him by the “Galamsey” Illegal Miners in the town and this is being used by his son at the University of Ghana, Legon

When this reporter visited the township of Banka, which is close to the deep Atiwa Forest and situated within the famous ancient Banka Forest Reserve, it was discovered that the town has only one toilet facility, one Presbyterian primary and junior high school, and about 4 boreholes that serve more than 10,000 people. But sources at Stanbic Bank say a huge chunk of the money was seized by the bank from the chief's account when the elders of banker sent a petition to all the banks in Ghana to freeze his account pending police investigations.

It was realised that illegal mining activities (galamsey) have destroyed the water-bodies in the area of the town, making it difficult for the people to drink from the streams; and all of them have resorted to the borehole water as their only source of potable or drinking water.

Since the toilet facility cannot serve the many people, most of them resort to easing themselves in the bush -- both elderly and children -- and most of them encounter the risk of stepping on deadly reptiles like snakes and crocodiles which sometimes bite and wound them

Many inhabitants of Banka, who were interviewed by this reporter during the series of visits embarked upon, asked “even if the chief is found guilty of stealing the money, would he be in a position to refund the money?”

The Kyidomhene of the town who led a demonstration against the chief is said to have been forcibly destooled by the Bankahene, bringing tension between the youth, elders and the chief -- which could escalate if justice fails to prevail.

The youth of the town have therefore called on the government and the Attorney Generals' Department to hurry and commence prosecution to bring Justice to the poor and needy in Banka. According to them, the state will do them good if the money is retrieved in the end to put up infrastructure like schools, clinics, pipe-borne water and good roads in the town.

This investigation was funded by PAIR
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The only primary school at Banka, in a dilapidated state

Galamsey operators have taken over the township of Banka with their activities. They can be seen all over digging holes for stones and destroying farmlands

The only toilet facility for the over-populated pupils of the only school in the banka township

The dilapidated buildings of Banka during the visit