APPOINTMENT OF JUDGEMENT DEBT COMMISSIONER MUST BE BACKED WITH POLITICAL WILL -VITUS AZEEM

The ability or otherwise of the Sole Commissioner, Justice Yaw Appau to confront Ghana's mounting judgment debt cases is highly dependent on political will on the part of government.

According to the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Intergrity Initiative, Mr Vitus Azeem, the appointment of the Sole Commission would not resolve the issues of judgement debts if the government does not wield the political will to go by his recommendations.

President Mahama yesterday, sworn into office Justice Yaw Appau to probe the numerous cases of judgment debts paid by the government to individuals and multinationals and to advice on the way forward in settling judgment debts.

Mr Azeem made these observations in a telephone interview with host of e.tv Ghana's Breakfast TV, Bismark Brown and noted that it was not expected of the Commissioner to stop the payment of judgment debts but to find out the underlying issues and make recommendations to government.

However, he noted that, “at the end of the day, the commitment of the government to implement whatever recommendations that he comes out with will tell. It’s a matter of political commitment to implement those recommendations from the Sole Commissioner. Other than that we will have been wasting our time.”

He added that the Commissioner who is expected to present a report in about a year’s time would depend on several issues; one of which is dependent on him getting a witness to give evidence on judgement debt issues.

Mr Azeem further noted that, after a recommendation is made, “depending on which government takes power in January because if this government appoints a Sole Commissioner and a new government comes and they are not interested in the work of the Sole Commissioner, then it more or less cancels the whole effect of the Sole Commissioner.”

He said it was probable at the same time that even if the present government retains power, lack of political commitment to go by the recommendations of the Commissioner would in effect make his work a waste of time.

The appointment of the Sole Commissioner is one of the Critical Policy Actions promised by President Mahama in his Policy speech of September 04, 2012.

The overall purpose of the appointment of Justice Yaw Appau is to refashion and systematise the procedures for negotiating, contracting, executing, monitoring and resolving disputes in order to avoid the burden of paying judgment debts.