Opinions of Wednesday, 18 July 2012

Columnist: Adofo, Rockson

Judgment Debt Payment - the Speciality of Mills govt

Judgment Debt Payment - the Speciality of President Mills-led NDC government

Before I proceed to make any overwhelming submissions, let me first pose a few questions to Ghanaians. For what did Ghanaians vote President Mills and the NDC party to power? Did they vote them to power to implement policies that would better the overall well-being of the citizenries? Did they simply vote them to power to concentrate on paying off all Ghana debts within the shortest possible time?

I personally find it astonishing the resolute determination by the President Mills-led NDC government to accord paying off Ghana's debts owed to companies and individuals their foremost priority. The more Ghanaians query the rationale behind the government's fond of, and unflinching support for, dishing out Ghana's money in payment of judgment debt, the more his Ministers go searching for people and companies to pay them judgment debt money.

It is not for nothing that Okudzeto Ablakwah and the likes of him are insisting Ghana pays off her debts owed to individuals and companies with or without court's judgment. As soon as they hear of a person or a company planning to sue the government for a "supposed" breach of contract, they hurtle down the road at the speed of lightning to the complainants. They straightaway go on their knees, pleading with them for out of court settlement. They fail to conduct any proper investigations into the truthfulness of the charge presented by the complainants. They immediately hop to the defence of the plaintiff, insisting they have a case that Ghana cannot contest let alone win in any court of law under the Sun, the Moon and the Stars. They become defence lawyers, principal witnesses and spokespersons for such individuals or companies. The reason why they are behaving so irresponsibly is that they stand to gain financially as individuals from their deplorable actions. Why should they rather be defending such plaintiffs almost all of who are only making false claims on Ghana?

Their actions amount to a breach of public trust in them. They are not doing what majority of Ghanaians voted them to power to do. They are not doing what I expected them to do while in government. Most of the members of the Atta Mills-led NDC government with their party gurus and diehard supporters like Mr Kwesi Pratt inclusive are supportive of the government's stance on judgment debt payment. They are profiting personally from the judgment debt payment in one form or the other. What a clever way for them to enrich themselves but a destructive way to run the affairs of Ghana.

The entire legal team of the NDC is out supporting all those claiming money from the government on allegation of defaulting on the terms of signed contracts. Most of the claims are as fraudulent as those defending them are complete fraudsters.

I call on all reasonable Ghanaians to ditch the NDC and President Mills come December 7, 2012 if you see them as doing differently than you voted them to. Did you vote them to become fraudsters? No! Did you vote them to specialise in, or preoccupy themselves with, judgment debt payments at the expense of Ghanaians? No! Did you vote NDC to power to side with persons and companies intending to rob Ghana in broad daylight? No! Nevertheless, the Atta Mills-led NDC government is doing the very opposite of your expectations. What then should you do as obstinate as the NDC are in continuing with judgment debt payments regardless of your bitter concerns raised?

I will tell you what to do in my next write-up and on Sources radio UK, FM 96.30. You can get Sources radio online by visiting www.modernghanaonline.com

Rockson Adofo