AG gives all but one branding document to OccupyGhana
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General (A-G) however refused to hand over to the group the report she delivered to the Chief of Staff after her initial investigations to uncover the bus branding saga on the ground that it is "confidential and privileged".
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It will be recalled that on April 13 the Human Rights Court gave its ruling in a controversial case brought by some members of OccupyGhana demanding full disclosure of government’s contract with Smarttys Production over the branded Metro Mass buses to them.
Justice Anthony Yeboah ordered the A-G, who was one of the respondents, to give all the documents on the bus branding except documents regarding trade secrets, and national defence to the group.
In a statement issued on Sunday, OccupyGhana said "We have delivered these documents to our legal and audit teams for their review and advice. We will keep Ghanaians appraised and updated with the findings of our legal and audit teams, and as we have promised, should we find that any laws were broken or anything was done that was illegal, wrong or untoward, OccupyGhana® will pursue the matter to its logical and legal conclusions."
Below is the full statement from OccupyGhana:
8 MAY, 2016
OCCUPYGHANA® PRESS STATEMENT
OCCUPYGHANA® RECEIVES M.M.T. BUS BRANDING DOCUMENTS FROM ATTORNEY-GENERAL
OccupyGhana® is pleased to announce that it has received from the Honourable Attorney-General and the Ministry of Transport, 22 documents covering the Smarttys Transaction ("Transaction.")
It would be recalled that by a letter dated 1 February, 2016, OccupyGhana® requested from the Honourable Attorney-General, documents covering the Transaction. However, by a letter dated 3 February, 2016, the Honourable Attorney-General declined to provide us with the documents on the ground that there was a pending legal action with respect to the same matter.
Not satisfied with this response, OccupyGhana® issued a Press Statement dated 7 February, 2016, in which it announced its intention to seek legal redress against the Honourable Attorney-General. On 18 February, 2016, OccupyGhana® commenced legal action against the Honourable Attorney-General, in the exercise of our right to information under article 21 of the Constitution.
In the meantime, the other action to which the Honourable Attorney-General referred, as the basis of her refusal to give the documents to us, was heard and determined by the High Court against the Attorney-General. While we waited for our action to be heard, we received word from the Honourable Attorney-General that she would make the documents available to us. True to her word, by an Affidavit dated 26th April 2016, filed on 28th April 2016 and sworn to by one Lawrence Kumi, Director of Research at the Ministry of Transport, the Honourable Attorney-General has delivered to us, documents relating to the Transaction, except one. The Honourable Attorney-General refuses to give to us, the report that she delivered to the Chief of Staff after her investigations on the ground that she considered that as confidential and privileged.
We have delivered these documents to our legal and audit teams for their review and advice. We will keep Ghanaians appraised and updated with the findings of our legal and audit teams, and as we have promised, should we find that any laws were broken or anything was done that was illegal, wrong or untoward, OccupyGhana® will pursue the matter to its logical and legal conclusions.
Yours in the service of occupying hearts and minds for God and Country
OccupyGhana®
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