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The former board chairman of COCOBOD, Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum has vehemently rejected claims that the state incurred financial loss in the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertiliser.
The retired foreign service officer provided further and better particulars to explain why causing financial loss to the state in the case against former COCOBOD boss and two others was not tenable.
The former Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Dr. Stephen Opuni, businessman Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Ltd were charged with 27 counts including causing financial loss to the state and breach of the procurement act in the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertilizer between 2014 and 2016.
Amb. Ohene Agyekum who gave evidence on behalf of Dr. Opuni via a video link from Kumasi, told the court on Monday, June 6 that he “will not consider that the purchase of Lithovit caused any loss to the state”.
Describing himself as someone born into cocoa farming, which he said was the only activity of his parents, and based on his personal interactions with cocoa farmers who used Lithovit liquid fertilizer, he wondered how the state arrived at the conclusion that the product did not give value for money.
Nonetheless, the former board chairman further educated the court that policies and activities of COCOBOD is centred around cocoa farmers whom he said own the cocoa industry.
The retired diplomat was therefore surprised how the state is said to have incurred a loss in an industry it does not own.
“In simple terms, did COCOBOD suffer any loss in the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertiliser,” counsel for Seidu Agongo, lawyer Nutifafa Nutsukpui asked when he cross-examined the witness.
Amb. Ohene Agyekum answered, “No my lord, COCOBOD did not suffer any loss or whatsoever. The policies clearly stated that, and I say that as a son of cocoa farmers that the government does not own the industry, it is the cocoa farmers who own the industry. If I may clarify, it is the produce that the various licenced authorities purchase that is marketed abroad, the value of which is used to collateralize the loans which the board obtained. It is for this reason COCOBOD decided that this Lithovit liquid fertiliser should be provided to farmers free of charge during my tenure as board chairman. After all it is their money. And in the same vein during my term of office, the board also embarked on a rather ambitious Programme to reconstruct and rebuild roads within the cocoa growing areas.”
DR. YAW ADU-AMPOMAH
In his evidence in chief, the third prosecution witness, Dr. Yaw Adu-Ampomah said a farmer told him that Lithovit liquid fertiliser was ineffective that some farmers even drank it in place of water.
When asked about his reaction to that claim, Amb. Ohene Agyekum asserted, “My reaction will be so direct and simple. That, Dr Adu Ampomah whom I know quite well doesn’t know what he was talking about. It is either he did not know what he was talking about or he misunderstood what the farmers were telling him. If they drank the fertiliser, they would be dead. Or he is simply not telling the truth. My lord I swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. I personally visited some of my relatives from Ashanti who have been farming as far away as Akontombra in the Sehwi area at a village called Mile 2 in the Western North. I spent three days and in my interactions with the farmers, I formed the distinct impression that the Lithovit liquid fertiliser was so effective that they believed as a board chairman I could personally give them some more which I couldn’t.
Meanwhile, in the previous sittings, a similar question was asked an Assin Fosu-based cocoa farmer if he heard of any farmer drinking Lithovit liquid fertiliser in the farm because it was a useless product.
Mr. Samuel Torbi told the court, “No my lord because the training they – CHED of COCOBOD – took us through, they told us that when the chemical enters into our body, it will give us problems. So when we spray insecticides or liquid fertiliser, we put on gloves, we also wear masks, we wear spectacles and wellington boots. So when someone tells you that you can drink Lithovit fertiliser in your farm, then that person is not a farmer. Or when you are told that you can drink Lithovit liquid fertiliser when you are thirsty then that person is definitely not a farmer.”
PROCUREMENT
Amb. Ohene Agyekum told the court that during his tenure of office, he was ” not only regular but attended all Entity Tender Committee (ETC) meetings”.
Lawyer Nutifafa Nutsukpui then asked him how the ETC went about its decision making.
He replied, “We went about our decisions in this way, the technocrats and the various units of COCOBOD submit their proposals to the ETC. Here, once again, the procurement unit depending on what is to be discussed will be involved. The procurement officer will be called to the meeting and give clarifications on their proposal. All proposals go to the procurement unit. When the ETC is satisfied with the clarification and explanations provided, the ETC will the approve the proposals which are then submitted to the main COCOBOD board for consideration and approval. The decisions of the main board will be conveyed to management for implementation. That is the process.”
In his evidence in chief, the witness stated even though the chief executive of COCOBOD was later, by law, made chairman of the Entity Tender Committee, Dr. Stephen Opuni never attended any of their meetings that approved the purchase of Lithovit liquid fertilizer.
He reiterated, “Under my tenure all agrochemicals including Lithovit liquid fertiliser went through the proper and approved procedure just as was there before my appointment to the board.
“As the board chairman, I can state on authority that all fertilisers which was purchased from Agricult went through the proper procedure as pertains during my term.”
