'NDC Woman Tarzan' Takes On AG, EOCO

Valerie Sawyerr, a former Board Member of the Ghana National Gas Company, has descended on Ghana's two criminal prosecuting agencies, the Attorney General's Department (AG) and the Economic and Organised Crime Organisation (EOCO), suing them over the infamous Cabinet audit report.

Valerie has filed processes at the High Court praying it to quash the report of the Cabinet Committee Responsible for the Coordination of the Investigations/Forensic Audit, which has received the attention of the public.

The report, which came out a few weeks ago, revealed that helicopters purchased from China Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation were not used for the purpose intended.

It was further revealed, per the report, that the helicopter parts, which were part of the initial contract price, were not delivered, same as the training cost, which was also part of the initial contract.

The audit disclosed further that contract sums were inflated, whilst there were non-performance and contract breaches costing the nation in excess of $60 million.

Contending that the audit report amounts to a breach of the natural rules of justice and right to administrative justice, in a sworn affidavit she prayed the court to declare same, adding: “A declaration that the audit report completed and submitted to the 2nd Respondent was made in breach of the rule of natural justice, audi alteram partem“.

She further prayed the court for “A declaration that the audit report, which implicated me, as a former board member of Ghana National Gas Company Limited, was done in breach of my right to administrative justice, and my right to a fair hearing.”

Also, “A declaration that the audit report which implicated me, as a former board member of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited, contravenes Article 23 of the 1992 Constitution.”

In relation to the above, she further prayed the court to quash the report, its findings, observations and recommendations.

The writ added: “An order of Certiorari bringing up into this court for purposes of being quashed, and quashing the Audit Report which was completed and submitted to the 2nd Respondent, and which implicated me as a former board member of Ghana National Gas Company Limited.”

Valerie also wants the court to restrain the agencies involved in the related case from inviting her for questioning, adding that the invitations amount to harassment.

The writ stated: “An order of injunction restraining 2nd and 3rd respondents from going ahead to invite me as a subject of interest into investigation of allegations of procurement infractions at Ghana National Gas Company, when the Audit Report has been completed and submitted to the 2nd Respondent without me being given a hearing.”

Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had earlier asked former NDC appointees indicted in the audit report not to honour any invitation from the different government agencies investigating the issue.

Valerie Sawyerr had condemned the report in an article earlier.

A cabinet sanctioned report of some state-owned companies uncovered the misappropriation of over GH¢800 million by heads of those state institutions.

Among the 16 companies probed by the committee included (but not limited to) the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST), Micro and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Ghana Free Zones Board, Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), and Ghana Technology University College.