General News of Monday, 17 July 2017
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2017-07-17
Philip Assibit (middle)
A Financial Division of the High Court has adjourned the case involving former boss of the National Youth Employment Programme, Abuga Pele to Tuesday, July 18 for the continuation of the cross examination.
The cross-examination of Jacob Adongo, a former deputy National Coordinator of the NYEP, as a witness of the 1ST accused, Philip Assibit commenced today, July 17 and was conducted by Counsel for Philip Assibit, Kweku Paintsil.
In the course of the cross-examination, Jacob Adongo revealed that indeed Philip Assibit, who was a consultant at Goodwill International Group (GIG), had a contract with the NYEP based on which he was paid any money given him.
Testifying in Court, Jacob Adongo stated that there was an agreement called “Contract for Services” signed by the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Kofi Hummado.
He added that the signed contract was witnessed by a former boss of NYEP, Abuga Pele.
According to him, GIG in whose name Philip Assibit acted, provided services to NYEP as was required of them.
He noted that even though he couldn’t readily recollect all the services, he listed “helping to develop an exit plan; training people to develop NYEP action plan; developing proposals for World Bank and DANIDA; providing consultative workshops and experts advice and assisting NYEP in going through process of being Public Sector Organisation to qualify for World Bank facility” as some of the services provided by GIG.
He explained that the project proposal for the World Bank facility was developed by GIG which Philip Assibit works for in partnership with MDPI. He, however, disclosed that subsequently the Presidency and the Ministry of Finance played roles but only after the money was approved.
Abuga Pele, the former National Co-ordinator of GYEEDA and Philip Akpeena Assibit, a representative of Goodwill International Group (GIG), are facing various charges of causing financial loss of 41.1 million Ghana Cedis to the State.
Philip Assibit is being accused of putting in false claims that he had secured a 65-million-dollar World Bank funding for the creation of one million jobs for the youth, which led the government to part with GH? 4.1 million.
Abuga Pele is also alleged to have entered into a contract with Assibit to engage in activities which have caused financial loss to the State.
They have both pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and are on bail.
The State has so far presented seven prosecution witnesses in the case.
The Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwa Asare-Botchwey adjourned the cross-examination to Tuesday, July 18 explaining that there were some urgent issues she had to attend to.
