Dr. Ken Aryeetey
There seem to be tension at Essipun in the Western Region as some members of the Ebireshiem Abiradze Royal Family are accusing their chief, Nana Kofi Abuna V, of alleged embezzlement.
The issue has been hanging for some years and when it initially started, the chief denied any wrongdoing but the family is insisting he should come clean on the matter.
At a press conference last Friday, the family members alleged that the female chief had embezzled over GH¢6 million meant for the community.
According to them the money was due the stool following destruction of land and property arising out of infrastructural development by Ghana Gas Company and Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo).
The head of the family, Ebusuapanyin Ken Aryeetey, a medical doctor, said government paid compensation through the two companies, claiming “but instead of paying it to the stool they diverted the funds into the personal account of the chief, who was presumed to have embezzled the money.”
They said, “This is because the chief has refused to render account and give stakeholders their due share of the money.”
Dr. Aryettey said per the custom and practice of the family, the money was to be shared in the proportion of one third to the chief one third to the royal family and a third to the entire community.
“But the chief has given out not more than GH¢160,000 to the stake holders which has caused tension in the town,” he alleged.
He said the family has sued both GRIDCo and Ghana Gas over the money and indicated that the stool had not been paid, adding “and should we be successful, government would have to pay the compensation of over GH¢6 million again at the expense of the tax payer.”
The spokesperson said Ghana Gas and GRIDCo are justifying the “wrong” payment to the chief instead of the stool, with the excuse that as at the time of paying the money, the stool had no bank account.
“So the question is, why the companies did not ask the stool to open an account so payment could be made into that account but hurriedly paid such huge sums into the account of an individual who is alleged to have embezzled it,” he quizzed.
He claimed Ghana Gas paid over GH¢6 million and GRIDCo paid GH¢500,000 but Gridco stopped further payment upon intervention of the royal family.
Dr. Aryeetey said even though he made a complaint at Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to intervene, the unit took his statement and he did not hear from them again.
He said if GRIDCo and Ghana Gas had made payment as prescribed by law the current tussle could have been avoided.
Ghana Gas
Speaking on the issue, the Director of Communications at Ghana Gas, Ernest Owusu-Bempah, remarked “I don’t think a whole entity like Ghana Gas will make payment to a person on the issue of compensation due a family; it can’t happen.”
“We don’t just work in a vacuum. We have our legal team there who will search before any payment,” adding “maybe there has been a faction that has an issue with the family, but I will find out from our legal department,” he added.
The chief is yet to respond to the latest claims by the family.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi