Accra, Jan. 9, GNA- Government has so far paid GHC 600 million as judgment debts since the Mills Administration came into power three years ago.

President John Evans Atta Mills, who announced the figure in Accra on Monday, said the payment of judgment debt was costing the nation, and the recent payment of GHC 58 million to Mr Alfred Woyome, a businessman, was under investigation and that the Government would act appropriately on the receipt of a report by the Economic and Organised Crime Office.

President Mills had had an encounter with Senior Journalists and Editors, at the Osu Castle in Accra, the third, since 2010, to answer questions on the performance of Government and important national issues.

The payment of the judgment debt to Mr Woyome, took the centre stage at this year’s encounter dubbed, “Still building a Better Ghana.”

President Mills, a former Commissioner for Internal Revenue and Former Vice President of Ghana, acknowledged that it was difficult raising revenue, pointing out that such money must come from what has been stated in the budget, and constitutes a huge weight on the national budget in the face of national development needs.

“We have to find a way to avoid the payment of judgment debt,” President Mills said.

President Mills said he does not blame Ghanaians for wanting to know the truth about the matter, and described in very strong words his position on the payment of the debt; “I want the truth to be established. We’re not going to sweep anything under the carpet. Let’s get the total picture, and… we’ll apply the law to the letter.”

He called on Ghanaians to join in the fight against corruption as the recent Transparency International did not name politicians as the people involved in corruption, but rather it cuts across citing examples of money being collected for works which do not merit any inducement.

On the reasons why he is seeking re-election in Election 2012, President Mills said Ghanaians should look at the improvement in their lives, maintenance of peace and stability, and how his Government has used the national resources to provide the needs of the people and renew the mandate of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the next elections.

On whether Government would “add a bit more for the verification of biometric ballots,” President Mills said such were electoral matters, and that the Government would be prepared to offer such support if the Inter Party Advisory Commission took a decision on the issue.