A new 28-minute documentary by journalist, Paul Adom-Otchere, recounting the entire history of the judgement debt scandal involving businessman, Alfred Woyome, has aired on Metro TV’s current affairs show, Good Evening Ghana.
In the documentary, Mr. Adom-Otchere describes “Woyomegate” as the longest scandal in the country’s history as it spanned two general elections – 2012 and 2016, without being resolved.
The documentary, however, commences with the first Quality Grain scandal which, Paul narrates, is the first major scandal in the country’s history.
Although it took place in the late nineties, when the government led by Jerry John Rawlings was in place, and involved the payment of about $20 million, prosecution took place under the John Agyekum Kufuor administration.
It was found that a loss of about 3, 826,250,547 cedis had been accrued to the state with, George Sipa Yankey, Ibrahim Adams and Kwame Peprah eventually convicted and jailed.
The focus of the documentary then shifts to the “Woyomegate”, comprehensively chronicling the scandal from its genesis – the hosting of the African Cup of Nations in Ghana in 2008 – to the prosecution of the main character in the $51 million scheme, Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
The documentary touches on the actions of the Attorney General and Finance Minister at the time the claims were made by Woyome, Betty Mould Iddrisu and Dr Kwabena Duffuor respectively and the work of Martin Amidu who took over as AG.
It also includes the response from the President at the time, John Evans Atta-Mills at a Meet The Press session where he dismissed assertions that he had sanctioned the payment to Woyome and insisted everything would be done to ensure justice prevails, following a query by Mr. Adom-Otchere at the event.
However, his demise and the inability of his successor, John Dramani Mahama’s administration to ensure a finality was brought to the matter before they lost power to the New Patriotic Party in 2016 meant the scandal had traversed three separate administrations.
The documentary concludes with the latest phase of the scandal, with Woyome’s assets being put up for sale under the incumbent NPP government, to settle the debts owed the state after years of legal battles.
In the documentary, Mr. Adom-Otchere describes “Woyomegate” as the longest scandal in the country’s history as it spanned two general elections – 2012 and 2016, without being resolved.
The documentary, however, commences with the first Quality Grain scandal which, Paul narrates, is the first major scandal in the country’s history.
Although it took place in the late nineties, when the government led by Jerry John Rawlings was in place, and involved the payment of about $20 million, prosecution took place under the John Agyekum Kufuor administration.
It was found that a loss of about 3, 826,250,547 cedis had been accrued to the state with, George Sipa Yankey, Ibrahim Adams and Kwame Peprah eventually convicted and jailed.
The focus of the documentary then shifts to the “Woyomegate”, comprehensively chronicling the scandal from its genesis – the hosting of the African Cup of Nations in Ghana in 2008 – to the prosecution of the main character in the $51 million scheme, Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
The documentary touches on the actions of the Attorney General and Finance Minister at the time the claims were made by Woyome, Betty Mould Iddrisu and Dr Kwabena Duffuor respectively and the work of Martin Amidu who took over as AG.
It also includes the response from the President at the time, John Evans Atta-Mills at a Meet The Press session where he dismissed assertions that he had sanctioned the payment to Woyome and insisted everything would be done to ensure justice prevails, following a query by Mr. Adom-Otchere at the event.
However, his demise and the inability of his successor, John Dramani Mahama’s administration to ensure a finality was brought to the matter before they lost power to the New Patriotic Party in 2016 meant the scandal had traversed three separate administrations.
The documentary concludes with the latest phase of the scandal, with Woyome’s assets being put up for sale under the incumbent NPP government, to settle the debts owed the state after years of legal battles.
Source: citinewsroom.com