Accra, Sept. 17, GNA - Justice Isaac Duose, Chairman of Ghana@50 Commission of Inquiry on Thursday bemoaned the lack of valid contracts by most of the witnesses that appear before the body. He was reacting to answers by some of the witnesses during cross-examination, whether they had valid contract agreements with the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat.

Some of the witnesses are demanding various sums of money from the Secretariat for jobs they had executed for which payment had not been made.

The jobs include construction works, decorations and event management.

Lowe Lintas, the company that refurbished the Public Records Archive Administration Department (PRAAD) in 2007 are demanding GH¢241,974.06 as payment for the works it carried out. Madam Norkor Duah, Managing Director of Lowe Lintas, who was testifying before the Commission, explained that in December 2006 her outfit prepared a proposal on rallying-round-the-flag, leading to the anniversary celebration.

She said based on the success of the programme, Lowe Lintas spotted an advertisement in the media on refurbishment at PRAAD and presented a proposal to the Ghana@50 Secretariat, which was approved but required pre-financing.

Madam Duah told the Commission that because of the nature of the project, which was in two phases, her company formed a consortium with two other firms- Prodesign and Expert Media to undertake the contract. Phase one of the project was to demolish the frontage of PRAAD whilst phase two was to carry out expansion works to give the department a facelift.

She said even though her company did not complete the work, the Secretariat should pay for the work done.

Mr Akoto Ampaw, Counsel for Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Ghana@50 Secretariat told the Commission that the Secretariat had no difficulty with the amount Lowe Lintas was demanding since their work at PRAAD was satisfactory. Mr. Richard Doe, Managing Director of Intrateck Interiors also made a demand of GH¢31,143 as an unpaid balance for the supply and installation of plaster board ceiling in 30 houses at the La African Union (AU) Village at Cantonments in Accra and the supply and installation of plywood ceiling on 30 outhouses and garage at the same location.

He also demanded GH¢6,225.00 for the supply and installation of wooden corner mouldings on 19 houses at the AU village, which he termed as additional works for which he could not provide an agreement to that effect.

During cross-examination, Mr. Doe whose evidence was not consistent with the memoranda submitted to the Commission variations of his oral and written presentations.

Mr. Ampaw reminded Mr. Doe that in the case of the initial contract, he did not complete works on the 30 houses as he claimed, referring him to a letter accompanying his memoranda indicating that he had finished works on 27 houses.

Mr. Doe who was not coherent in his presentation and caused an uproar when he said he had completed 30 houses. "My Lord, I put it to you also that I completed 30 houses" said Mr. Doe, explaining that he wrote the letter to the Secretariat when he completed the works on the 27 houses and needed funds to complete the remaining three since he had exhausted the initial GH¢60,000 mobilization the Secretariat paid him from his contract sum of GH¢95,940.

Mr. Ampaw insisted that the Secretariat's records indicated that he had only GH¢17,760 to collect.

He said the Secretariat could not pay the GH¢6,225 he was demanding for the extra works he claimed to have executed. The Commission said it would work on Mr. Doe's concerns and make recommendations accordingly.

Mr. Daniel Zowonu of Danzo Plumbing Works also appealed to the Commission to help him retrieve the outstanding balance of payment from the Secretariat for the works he carried out at the AU Village. The Commission asked him to furnish it with the relevant documentation to back his demand, as Mr. Ampaw observed that Zowonu's memoranda lacked merit.

Mr. Kwabena Anim Danso, Managing Director of Kadabot Limited, a construction firm also demanded GH¢C129,942 as outstanding payment for the construction of a car park at the Arts Centre and an accrued interest of GH¢48,000 on the amount since his bankers were on his neck to retrieve the loan he took from to undertake the project. 17 Sept. 09