GYEEDA cannot access World Bank facility - Humado

Mr Clement Kofi Humado, former Minister of Youth and Sports, told the Financial Division of the High Court that the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) could not access $65-million World Bank facility.

He said the reason was that GYEEDA, formerly National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), was a political creation and had no legal framework.

He said the World Bank Facility was for the establishment of the youth enterprise development programmes in the country.

Mr Humado was testifying as the third prosecution witness in the GH? 4.1 million GYEEDA trial in Accra on Wednesday.

Abuga Pele, former National Co-ordinator and Philip Akpeena Assibit, a Representative from Goodwill International Ghana are facing various charges for causing financial loss of GH? 41.1 million to the state.

The state has accused Assibit of putting in false claims that he had secured a $65-million World Bank funding for the creation of one million jobs for the youth that claim led government to part with GH? 4.1 million.

Meanwhile Pele is also alleged to have entered into a contract with Assibit to engage in activities which have injured the state financially.

They both pleaded not guilty to all charges and are on bail.

According to him, upon resuming office as the Sector Minister, he was told of the World Bank Facility but Humado enquired whether NYEP had received approval from Cabinet and Ministry of Finance to source the funding. He was however told that no approval had been given.

He said, he then informed cabinet about the NYEP’s intention to source funds from the World Bank for the youth enterprise programme, for which he received approval.

Mr Humado said it was stated categorically that even though approval was made for NYEP to pursue the funding, it should be a separate establishment not under the programme.

The former Sector Minister told the court that before leaving office in 2013, the programme had not been able to access the fund from the World Bank and since then no feedback was made to him from the Ministry.

Mr Humado said after that he was invited by the Economic and Organised Crime Office to answer questions concerning payments been made to a wrong account.

He said, while in office, he had a meeting with his chief director and internal auditor and told the chief director to instruct Pele to pay monies to the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) for work done but he got to know later that the money was paid into a private company account.

“My Ladyship, if the money is not paid into the MDPI account, then l am at a loss,” he added.

He also said if the money was not paid into the MDPI account but rather to a private company account, then Pele and Assibit were the only persons to answer.

He said, he got to know that payment was made to about 250 youth to collect data for the consortium made up of MDPI to prepare proposal for the World Bank facility.

In a cross-examination by Raymond Bagnabu, the counsel for Assibit suggested to Mr Humado that it was under his tenure that these payments were made but the witness declined.

According to the witness, he did not approved payment but rather payment plan but the counsel said the explanation given to the court was an afterthought.

The case is adjourned to October 9.