?As Auditor-General Provides Evidence To Disprove Her Claims!

Only last week, the Head of Delegation, European Union Ambassador H.E. Stafan Fwowein praised the Auditor-General and the Audit Service for their professional efficiency and technical competence which had enabled the Auditor-General to achieve high success during the last four years. The Ambassador said this when signing a Financial Agreement for ?4.6 million (?50.4 billion) Technical Support Phase II.

It will be recalled that in The Chronicle of Monday, June 27, 2005 the former First Lady described the Auditor-General, Mr. Edward Dua Agyeman, as the most dishonest and untruthful senior public servant Ghana has ever had. According to her, the Auditor-General should be guided by the principles of auditing which requires that when a person is audited, that individual or the organization was given the report or invited to respond to queries raised by the auditing team instead of resorting to blackmailing through the media.

Mr. Edward Dua Agyeman, a professional chartered accountant of high repute and many years of auditing experience, has proved beyond doubt his technical competence and expertise.

Records made available to The Crusading GUIDE clearly and incontrovertibly show that the Auditor-General followed all the principles required of a competent auditor. On 29th August, 2002 the Auditor-General sent a draft report on the audit of the divestiture of Nsawam Cannery Limited to Caridem Development Company Limited (see page two).

Ms Sherry Ayittey, a director of the company, acknowledged receipt of the Auditor-General?s letter and confirmed that she had studied the contents and had referred the draft report to their solicitors and financial consultants, Mr. Samuel Vanderpuje and Kwesi & Partners respectively (see page two).

On 3rd September 2002 Mr. Samuel Vanderpuje sent to the Auditor-General the comments and response to the issues raised in the draft report dated 29th August 2002 for further action by the Auditor-General. (see next Tuesday?s edition for evidence). Mr. Samuel Vanderpuje thoroughly responded to every observation and queries raised in the draft report. In a letter reference No. DWM/3/41/CRN/2244 dated 2nd January 2003 Ms. Sherry Ayittey confirmed that the responses to the Auditor-General?s draft report was done by the solicitors of Caridem (see next Tuesday?s edition for documentary evidence).

On 14th January 2003 the Auditor-General received from Messrs Hayibor, Djarbeng & Co., Barristers & Solicitors, a letter stating that they had instructions to inform the Auditor-General that they had been mandated by Caridem Development Co. Limited, to handle the report on the Divestiture of Nsawam Cannery Limited to Caridem, and ?from now to liaise with you on a professional basis, to have this matter resolved satisfactorily. It is our hope that after having perused our response, you will find time to have all parties work in a professional manner to reach a reasonable conclusion ?.

Mr. Charles Hayibor of Hayibor, Djabeng & Co. who worked with the Auditor-General for over 12 months to get the issues resolved, indicated to the Auditor-General that he was regularly briefing his clients, Management of Caridem.

One letter which clearly shows that Mr. Edward Dua Agyeman had followed all the laid down principles of auditing and that he submitted his audit findings to Management of Caridem for their comments, in sharp contrast to the claims of Nana Konadu as published in The Chronicle, was one dated 26th March 2004 from Hayibor, Djarbeng & Co. It is reproduced here for the benefit of our readers. ?Please find attached, the response of our clients to the outstanding issues raised during the discussions held with our Mr. Charles Hayibor. It is hoped that this matter will see a final resolution agreeable to all the parties herein?. It was signed by Mr. Charles Hayibor and a copy sent to Ms. Sherry Ayittey. (see page 2).

Against the backdrop of the preceding evidence, it is obvious that the blatant lies and mischief of Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, President of the 31st December Women?s Movement have been clearly exposed. The fraudulent manner in which the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) gave away several State properties to Nana Konadu and her cronies for a pittance is also now obvious to critical observers.

In a reaction to the outburst of Nana Konadu that Mr. Edward Dua Agyeman ?is the most dishonest and untruthful Auditor-General Ghana has ever had, yet he dares point accusing fingers at somebody?, Mr. Dua Agyeman retorted ?how many Auditor-Generals does Nana Konadu know, apart from Mr. Osei Tutu Prempeh, whom they appointed in 1990 and manipulated for their selfish end to the great loss to the State??

?Where was the Auditor-General when in 1993 the then Minister of Finance borrowed 100 million United States dollars without seeking approval from Parliament? Where was Nana Konadu?s Auditor-General of repute when in 1993 and 1994 the proceeds of the sale of the Government of Ghana shares in Ashanti Goldfields amounting to over 495 million United States dollars were not remitted to the Bank of Ghana into the Consolidated Fund but was split into four and deposited in commercial and investment banks in the United States of America and the United Kingdom??, queried a source at the Audit Service.

Mr. Edward Dua Agyeman, in the opinion of the source, has succeeded in exposing the corrupt practices of Nana Konadu and her cronies. He has been able to bring to the attention of the entire public the serious corrupt practices that went on during the past ten years.

?The divestiture process has made Ghana poorer while some individuals became richer?, concluded the source.