British diplomat urges contract abrogation in VRA, Zakhem deal

Mr Craig Murray The former Deputy British High Commissioner to Ghana who has published an article suggesting the government of Ghana has entered into contract deals with conmen has urged the government to abrogate the contract. Craig Murray alleges that a British company Zakhem International Limited entered into a contract with the New Patriotic Party government to build the Kpone Power Project for the Volta River Authority (VRA). VRA, according to him, bought the turbines from the manufacturer, Alsthom for $70 million and then paid an American company Zakhem $80 million upfront to install them and provide ancillary equipment. The turbines are said to be currently badly damaged by neglect. Mr Murray, who describes himself as an international anti-corruption campaigner, wonders why the government of Ghana would enter into such contracts and fail to ensure the investment is working for its people. According to him, his motives is a genuine concern for the people of Ghana, adding that most tax payers in the country are poor people struggling to make ends meet. “I love Ghana, I love Ghanaian people,” he said. The former diplomat will avail himself to help with investigations into the matter, he told Joy Midday News anchor Matilda Asante Asiedu. Meanwhile Energy Minister, Joe Oteng-Agyei says the government has already initiated investigations into the contracts with Balkan Energy and Zakhem International amongst others. “We have to find out what happened to the $80 million... Zakhem has already received." Mr Murray keeps a web blog where he has over the years published a series of articles on various issues in the world. Here in Ghana, the former British diplomat has written several articles on drug smuggling, Ghana’s oil discovery and the 2008 elections including alleged electoral fraud in the Volta Region. The anti-corruption campaigner says the government must launch criminal investigations rather than the commercial probe that seems to have started. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Grace Coleman is dead

Inhabitants of Effiduase/Asokore constituency in the Ashanti region have expressed utter shock at the demise of Hon. Grace Coleman, former Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.

Reportedly, the former Deputy Minister of Finance under ex-President Kufuor’s first term of office passed away at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra on Thursday evening after a protracted illness.Reports indicate that the country’s former ambassador to the Netherlands under the late President Liman’s regime was on admission at the nation’s premier hospital for three weeks after she went into coma at home.

The late Mrs. Coleman, who represented the Effiduase/Asokore constituents in the august house of Parliament from 1996 to 2004, on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), was cut off completely from the political scene due to protracted illness.Due to ill-health, the celebrated economist, who was billed to represent her constituents at the legislature for the fourth time had to back down, a development which saw the incumbent MP, Hon Frank Agyen, replacing her.

In a telephone interview with DAILY GUIDE, the NPP constituency secretary, Aseidu Fofie disclosed that residents of the constituency, irrespective of their political affiliation, were devastated by the news of the death of Hon Coleman.

He noted that the whole constituency, particularly Effiduase, went dead silent on Friday afternoon when news broke that Hon Coleman had passed on to the eternal world.Mr. Fofie, who predicted a well-deserving final funeral rite in honour of the departed legislator, said the NPP constituency executives were meeting to discuss a possible programme of activities as regards the death of their party guru.

Touching on the achievements and contributions of the late Deputy Finance Minister, he observed that the vacuum created by the demise of Hon Coleman would be difficult to fill.Meanwhile, Hon Elizabeth Agyeman, MP for Oforikrom, has told Hello FM, a Kumasi-based radio station that the late madam Coleman was a role model who would be missed forever, especially women parliamentarians.

She indicated that the late diplomat would not only be missed dearly for her compassion towards the cause of women and children, but also her rich counsel and guidance to MP’s, particularly female debutants.

Source: Daily Guide