Workers of the once struggling State Housing Company have called the action of the Managing Director, Kwabena Ampofo Appiah, heroic even though his intervention brought a contempt of court action against him.
The workers claim his action has saved the state and the company over Ghc800, 000.
When news went viral yesterday that Management of State Housing Company had successfully defended itself in a Court case with one Madam Atta-Affram, workers of the Company could not hide their joy as they went into wild jubilation.
“This is a case which has been dragging for about four years and so if today the court says Management should pay Ghc30,000 for contempt and we continue to own the property, then it’s a day of celebration”, a Staff of SHC told starrmonline.com.
“MD and Mr Awuah were fined for offloading the property to the Ablekumah West Municipal Assembly when the court hearing was ongoing and for that matter, the Judge was not happy. The court did not revert the property to the lady so it’s a victory for us.
“This was a case that the company was almost helpless as documents needed to defend the state miraculously evaporated from our files. Our MD took a bold step to save the company and the state. Yes he is paying Ghc15 ,000 as contempt fine, but the good news is that management has saved the State an amount of about Ghc800,000 through such an action. We say kudos to the MD and his team for such a smart move. We as workers have contributed and paid the fine. We wish other government appointees emulate the selflessness of our MD expressed by another staff,” another said.
Starrfmonline.com learnt that some workers of SHC trooped to the residence of Mr Ampofo Appiah to congratulate him but met his absence, as he was on leave.
The management of SHC declined to comment on the issue.
It would be recalled that in December 2018, the General Jurisdiction Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Kwaku Tawiah Ackaah-Boafo found the SHC MD and his Estate Manager guilty for facilitating the offloading of a house to be used by the Ablekuma West Municpal Assembly as their office at the time that property was a subject to a court litigation.
One other, Jacob Beecham, who is the head of SHC Armed Task Force was acquitted for no wrongdoing doing.
Mr Ampofo-Appiah, Mr Awuah and Mr Beecham were 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents in the contempt case filed by one Mrs Patience Atta-Affram.
The court imposed a fine of GH¢15, 000 each against them. Justice Ackaah-Boafo’s court also directed that, the fine when paid, GH¢10,000 out of the total of GH¢30,000 shall be paid out to the Applicant.