*To Shore up Her Achievements *

By Cecil Mensah

Desperate situation, they say demands desperate measures, but in the Tema West Constituency parliamentary contest, a desperate measure by the sitting Member of Parliament (MP), Lawyer Irene Naa Torshie Addo, to get re-elected is gradually leading to her defeat.

The MP, who in recent times has fallen out of favour with her Constituency executives, is being accused of dishonesty and “stealing” of a community land over which she was engaged as a lawyer, some years ago, to salvage for use by the community. But interestingly, she hijacked the land for her private use, using her non-governmental organization called Renaddo Foundation.

Recently, some people in the Constituency woke up to their dismay to discover huge billboards claiming that a new “Sakumono Polyclinic by Naa Torshie”, has been built by the MP.

The billboards with the bold inscription on them “Sakumono Polyclinic by Naa Torshie”, have been errected within the Tema West Constituency. The MP has come under attack as playing “a mind game” with the people because the said polyclinic does not exist.

What is annoying the constituents most, The Herald gathered, is that some of them had walked long distances in search of the said polyclinic to access healthcare, only to be told that the health facility did not exist or was yet to be built by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP.

What is more shocking is the constituents’ discovery that polyclinic facilities are built and staffed by governments and not private individuals as the MP sought to portray through her advertisement.

Meanwhile, authentic documents in the possession of The Herald, reveal that the said parcel of land on which the MP claims she has put up the polyclinic, at Sakumono near Tema, was meant for a community development project, but was bought by the MP through her NGO called Renaddo Foundation, under strange circumstances.

The Herald has uncovered that Renaddo Foundation has been formed out of the MP’s name, Irene Naa Torshie Addo. According to sources, Tema Development Corporation (TDC) first granted one Madam Edith S. Graham-Williams, the right of entry onto the land on July 6, 2001 in a letter that was signed by the Director of Estates, Mr. Joe Abbey for the Acting Managing Director of TDC to construct a school.

In 2009, a group of individuals led by Otu Sogborjor, including John Sorgborjor, Ernest Sorgborjor, Lucky Ocansey, the current Assembly Member for Sakumono Village, David Kemawusuor and Mrs. Adjoa Amoako also an Assembly Woman for Sakumono Electoral area stormed the area and halted the construction of the school on the protest that the land in question was earmarked for a community projects and not private developments.

The proprietress, Mrs. Edith Graham –Williams, quickly hauled the individuals to court on February 4, 2009, claiming plot No. Inst/A/261 was acquired in 2001 from the TDC and she was given the right of entry on June 6, 2004.

Mrs. Graham-Williams, contended that she legally acquired the said plot to construct a school and whilst preparing to start the construction the assemblymen moved onto the land and halted all development.

According to the Tema District Court, popularly called White House, the assemblymen, sought the assistance of the sitting MP who is also a practicing lawyer to lead them as counsel in the case.

Shockingly, because of the MP’s interest in purchasing the land for her personal gains, tactfully refused to appear in court, leading to the assemblymen being heavily fined after the court upheld Mrs. Graham-Williams’ plea.

A year down the line, the MP wrote an application on the letterhead of Renaddo Foundation on April 2, 2009, requesting to buy the said piece of land which had been lying fallow for the construction of a clinic and a recreational centre.

The letter addressed to the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) was signed by one Mrs. Lilly Quarcopone as the Director of the foundation.

On September 14, 2010 TDC granted the right of entry to the MP’s NGO in a letter signed for the Acting Managing Director by one Francis Haligah, who is also the Acting Director of Estates.

Nothing was done on the land since 2010, until recently when the political campaign began, and the huge billboard emerged at vantage points in the Constituency, showing a polyclinic in the Sakumono area, only for the people to realize that the facility does not exist. Indeed, they saw the bare land after travelling long distances to assess the health facility.

When The Herald contacted Madam Irene Naa Torshie Addo, she denied her role as a director of Renaddo Foundation. When it was put to her by The Herald that the name of the foundation has been derived from her name, she never replied the text message sent to her mobile phone.

Interestingly, shortly after The Herald’s interaction with the MP, she quickly dashed to the site with some journalists to the cut sod for the construction of the polyclinic she had already advertised as part of her four-year achievement in the Constituency. More to come!!