Retrieve GYEEDA monies, cancel dubious contracts by Dec. 31: Mahama orders

President John Mahama has instructed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice as well as the Finance Minister to retrieve all monies wrongfully paid to individuals and companies through contracts with the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), the Savanna Accelerated Development Agency (SADA) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Minister for Youth and Sports, has further been ordered to suspend with immediate effect, all payments under all GYEEDA contracts, except the payment of arrears to workers up to the end of the year.

He was addressing members of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and its anti-corruption partners at a meeting at the Flagstaff House Friday, November 15, 2013.

Joy FM's serialised reports on dubious contracts leading to the state losing millions of cedis to service providers at GYEEDA, compelled government to institute an investigation into the actvities of the Agency. The invesitgative report recommended the cancellation some of the contracts because government is not getting value for money from those contracts.

Sports Minister, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has until December 31, 2013, "to cancel all contracts that do not pass the 'value for money' test", the president has directed. Before then, the minister has to undertake a review of all modules and accompanying contracts under GYEEDA by the 15 of December.

President Mahama also charged Finance Minister, Seth Terkper as well as the A-G, Marietta Brew-Appiah to retrieve all monies wrongfully paid as judgment debt to Waterville and Isofoton and prosecute those indicted.

According to him, these are but a few administrative actions that his administration has taken "to keep us marching forward in this mission... in our fight against corruption".

He called on the public not to sympathize with persons caught to have engaged in corruption.

Mr. Mahama also indicated his resolve to "deal firmly" with the report of the Sole Commissioner on Judgment Debts, when it is presented to him.

"I will deal firmly with the report of the sole Commissioner on Judgment Debts when he presents his report to me," he stated.