The Committee established to investigate a suspected case of conflict of interest in the National Programme for Elimination of Child Labour in the Cocoa Sector (NPECLC) has denied allegations that it was set up to witch hunt some employees of the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare (MESW).
Speaking to the press in Accra yesterday the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Francis Dakura also denied that the Committee’s report was politically induced or influenced by the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare (MESW), Mr. E.T Mensah.
He said “the situation at hand is that two public officers namely the Chief Director of the MESW, Mrs. Rita Owusu-Amankwaa who is also the Director and shareholder of Aid for Change, an NGO involved in the elimination of child labour in the cocoa sector, and the Remediation Officer of the NGO Mr. Vincent Frimpong Manu have compromised their positions in their service delivery.”
He said the Committee was also tasked by the Minister to investigate the allegations of the role and conduct of other individuals in their dealings with the programme.
Dr. Dakura said “the Committee visited many agencies to arrive at a fair outcome, thus, if the two persons involved feel unfairly treated in any way they should simply go to court to seek redress.”
He expressed surprise that Mrs. Owusu-Amankwaah, Mr. Manu and their solicitors did not raise an issue with the composition of the Committee when they were all invited to appear before the Committee, -“a privilege they now deny having been granted.”
He said that the response by the Counsel for Mrs Owusu-Amankwaah, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr and a publication by the Daily Guide newspaper on the Committees work showed lack of understanding and appreciation of the Government and Committees set up to investigate issues.
He said the antecedence of the Committee of investigation was a publication in the Enquirer newspaper on the blatant abuse of office and irregularities in the management of the programme and the disbursement of project funds by the Project Manager.
That he said precipitated a national outcry for investigation, leading to an enquiry by the Bureau of National Investigation and the Office of the President.
He disclosed that on October 2008, there was an advertisement for the submission of proposals from Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs) which sought to work with the National Programme for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Cocoa Producing areas.
He said that October 2008, Aid for Change Ghana, submitted a proposal to the NPECLC seeking to be considered for partnership with the programme even though it was registered at the Register-General’s Department on November 8, 2008.
He said it was important to state that Aid for Change was the only NGO that was awarded five districts with a total cash allocation of GHC 100,000 to handle irrespective of their apparent lack of experience as compared to the other NGOs who have considerable experience and were put in charge of one or two districts.
Speaking to the press in Accra yesterday the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Francis Dakura also denied that the Committee’s report was politically induced or influenced by the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare (MESW), Mr. E.T Mensah.
He said “the situation at hand is that two public officers namely the Chief Director of the MESW, Mrs. Rita Owusu-Amankwaa who is also the Director and shareholder of Aid for Change, an NGO involved in the elimination of child labour in the cocoa sector, and the Remediation Officer of the NGO Mr. Vincent Frimpong Manu have compromised their positions in their service delivery.”
He said the Committee was also tasked by the Minister to investigate the allegations of the role and conduct of other individuals in their dealings with the programme.
Dr. Dakura said “the Committee visited many agencies to arrive at a fair outcome, thus, if the two persons involved feel unfairly treated in any way they should simply go to court to seek redress.”
He expressed surprise that Mrs. Owusu-Amankwaah, Mr. Manu and their solicitors did not raise an issue with the composition of the Committee when they were all invited to appear before the Committee, -“a privilege they now deny having been granted.”
He said that the response by the Counsel for Mrs Owusu-Amankwaah, Mr. Egbert Faibille Jnr and a publication by the Daily Guide newspaper on the Committees work showed lack of understanding and appreciation of the Government and Committees set up to investigate issues.
He said the antecedence of the Committee of investigation was a publication in the Enquirer newspaper on the blatant abuse of office and irregularities in the management of the programme and the disbursement of project funds by the Project Manager.
That he said precipitated a national outcry for investigation, leading to an enquiry by the Bureau of National Investigation and the Office of the President.
He disclosed that on October 2008, there was an advertisement for the submission of proposals from Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs) which sought to work with the National Programme for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Cocoa Producing areas.
He said that October 2008, Aid for Change Ghana, submitted a proposal to the NPECLC seeking to be considered for partnership with the programme even though it was registered at the Register-General’s Department on November 8, 2008.
He said it was important to state that Aid for Change was the only NGO that was awarded five districts with a total cash allocation of GHC 100,000 to handle irrespective of their apparent lack of experience as compared to the other NGOs who have considerable experience and were put in charge of one or two districts.
