Obour
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, has instituted legal action against the former MUSIGA President, Mr. Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour), and four others at the High Court of Justice for misappropriation of funds belonging to the union.
The four others are Acting MUSIGA President, Henry Bessa Simons; Acting First Vice-President, Rev. Dr. Thomas Harry Yawson; National Treasurer and Acting Administrator, Mr. Samuel Kofi Agyeman and Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, Director of Communications and Special Projects.
In a writ filed on May 20, 2020, the plaintiff, Ras Appiah, who is also a MUSIGA presidential aspirant, in his statement of claim, wanted the following – an order directed at first defendant (Obour) to account for all monies during his term of office, from 2011 to 2019.
An order directed at Obour to account for the sum of Gh¢2,000,000 donated to MUSIGA by the government in the year 2012 to support the creative arts industry as well as account for monies being proceeds from the Airtel-Tigo agreement with MUSIGA during his term of office.
The statement also wants an order directed at the four defendants, Bessa Simons, Dr. Thomas Harry Yawson, Samuel Kofi Agyeman and Ahuma Bosco Ocansey to also account for monies, being proceeds from the Airtel-Tigo agreement with MUSIGA, since they took over leadership of MUSIGA.
The plaintiff prayed to the court to order the four defendants to vacate their present appointments/positions while an account (to be taken by an accountant appointed by the court) is taken at their stewardship from when they assumed office till date among others.
The statement said the hearing had been fixed for Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 9:00 am.
Meanwhile in a press statement issued, the plaintiff indicated he sued the defendants because there were many allegations and counter-allegations from the majority of members and stakeholders of how the organization had been mismanaged during Obour’s tenure.
Some of the many allegations according to him are that the Obour’s administration did not release any information on how the union’s funds were spent, adding that Obour, who was the President at that time, never presented any handing over notes nor did he render accounts when leaving office.
This he said motivated him to file a writ against the defendants at the High Court.
By George Clifford Owusu