Ghana@50 hearing begins at 'tortoise pace'

Witnesses who appeared at The Ghana@50 public hearing on Thursday have complained at the slow pace of proceedings. Committee members have had to manually record every single statement made by the witnesses which has made the hearing rather laborious and boring. �The process is very very slow. The witnesses have to give their evidence and they have to dictate for the chairman to take notes,� Joy News' Samson Lardi Ayenini narrated. Indeed the Chairman of the commission, Justice Isaac Duose, had to plead with a witness to slow down. �Hold it hold it. Today we are doing long hand recording,� he said. Dr. Charles Wireku Brobbey, CEO of the Ghana @50 secretariat who is due to appear before the commission expressed his frustration at the pace of the hearing. He told Lardi Ayenini the commission is rushing over nothing and suggested it gathers all equipments needed to facilitate the smooth running of the commission. The Commission was instituted at the instance of the President John Mills to investigate the appropriation of some $72 million incurred during the Ghana@50 celebration in 2007. Three officials from the Prudential Bank where the secretariat held its account, have given evidence at the commission as at 1: 00 pm. According to Sekyere Amankwa, an official at the Prudential Bank, the Secretariat was made to overdraw GH� 10 million from its account for a short period, pending the release of government�s approved funds. The secretariat had requested for GH� 20 million, but Mr Sekyere said the bank was not ready to enter into that transaction because of delays in releasing state funds. There was however a banter when another official form Prudential Bank took his turn. Lawyer for Mr. Brobbey, Akotow Ampaw had objected to the cross-examination of Kofi Acolatse, General Manager in charge of Banking at the Prudential Bank by counsel from the Attorney General�s office. He contended two counsels from the AG�s department cannot lead the witness and cross examine him at the same time. This, the chairman obliged. The Commission deems the bank�s transaction with the Ghana@50 Secretariat as crucial to uncover the propriety or otherwise of the disbursements made by the secretariat. Chairman of the National Planning Committee of the Ghana@50 secretariat and his lawyer, Egbert Faibille were all present at the hearing. It is not too clear if they will make an appearance today.