'Corrupt' Akufo-Addo won’t sack Labianca owner who financed NPP’s campaign — Edem Agbana

A Deputy NDC National Youth Organiser, Edem Agbana, has alleged that a business executive and member of the Council of State, Eunice Jacqueline Asomah-Hinneh who was found to have evaded taxes to the tune of ¢1.074 million will not be sacked by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Madam Asomah-Hinneh, the CEO of frozen foods company, Labianca Group of Companies is said to have evaded the taxes with the help of some GRA officials.

As calls heighten for the businesswoman to resign and be prosecuted although the amount has been recovered from Labianca, Edem Agbana who was speaking on Dwaboase indicated that the NPP financier will not be sacked.

“Labianca’s corruption was cooked in the Jubilee House…She financed Akufo-Addo’s campaign and he awarded her with that position so he won’t sack her,” Agbana argued.

He also added that Akufo-Addo and his appointees at the seat of the President have a corruption template that their cohorts employ to milk the state.

Background

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) recently said his outfit had recovered an amount of ¢1.074 million from Labianca Group of Companies as a shortfall in import duties paid to the state.

The OSP’s revelation was in an investigative report titled: “Report of Investigation into Alleged Commission of Corruption and Corruption Related Offences involving Labianca Group of Companies and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority”.

The OSP contended that Ms Asomah-Hinneh used her position as a member of the Council of State and member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to get a favourable decision from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

In the report signed by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, it alleged that the influence-peddling by Ms Asomah-Hinneh led to a reduction in the tax liabilities for her frozen foods company, Labianca Company Limited.

A Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Operations, Joseph Adu Kyei was cited by the OSP for issuing what it described as an unlawful customs advance ruling.

This, according to the report, reduced the benchmark values of the goods imported by Labianca Limited translating to reduced tax obligations of the company to the state.

“The OSP finds that there is strong evidence to suggest that Mr Kyei’s decision to issue a customs advance ruling for the applicant was procured through influence peddling or trading of influence by Ms Asomah-Hinneh by employing her position as a member of the Council of State and member of the Board of Directors of the GPHA,” part of the report read.

Meanwhile, anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem has urged President Nana Akufo-Addo to push a member of the Council of State, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh to resign for evading tax.