The Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana has expressed disappointment over Ghana’s inability to make statutory payments to foreign companies who have genuinely done business with the country.
Miriam Montrat, meeting with John Mahama to congratulate him on his election victory Thursday, December 19, 2024, stated that the trust foreign companies had in Ghana has changed due to recent developments.
According to her, these international entities do not feel a friendly environment in doing business with Ghana in recent times as a result of the challenges with the payment to these companies.
“I do think that one of the things that will be helpful in ensuring that companies are being paid on time because that is also another factor that has been a huge deterrent, having to fight to get the money that has been owed,” she stated.
Meanwhile, President-elect John Dramani Mahama, gave a firm assurance to the international community that his administration will create the necessary environment for growth and development in the country.
He expressed optimism over taking Ghana back to its glory days where the environment was conducive for foreign businesses.
“You are not the only country to raise the issue of payments. I met the American ambassador, and she also raised payments to international companies that have done work. I thought that the government treated only domestic companies sociably.
“I didn’t know that extended to international companies, but she gave us a list of American companies that have done work and not been paid. I don’t know if there are Canadian companies but if we get that list we can keep a focus on it and see how [to go about it].”
The former President also used the opportunity to clarify the misconception about the mandate of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) team which was recently announced.
He explains members of the team are not going to be investigating people as being perceived by a section of the public but would rather gather evidence on corruption and corruption-related activities for onward submission to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies for further action.
“With regards to ORAL, Operation Recover All Loot, I announced the appropriately committee and I think people are misunderstanding it. We are receiving a lot of information on things that are going wrong, corruption scandals and all that.
“Some call me on my phone, some text me, others pass through other people. We want a focal point where all that evidence is directed so that they can assemble that evidence and once we come into office…, ORAL is not going to be investigating people. It is going to gather the evidence and pass that evidence to the government institutions that are supposed to do that kind of work,” he explained.
John Mahama urged Ghanaians to provide every evidence of corruption they have to the team so they can subsequently submit to the requisite institutions for action to be taken.
Kpebu, Kofi Boakye, Ablakwa & Domelevo make Mahama’s anti-corruption team
