Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, has debunked rumours that Ghana’s property in the United Kingdom has been taken over.
Reports are circulating in the media that Ghana’s Regina House in the United Kingdom has been taken over as a result of the Trafigura judgement debt placed on the Government of Ghana.
According to reports, Oil conglomerate Trafigura’s Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC) has taken over the Regina House in London, following the failure of the government to pay up a $134 million judgment debt.
However, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, has refuted the allegations thereby assuring the general public that Ghana’s Regina House, located in the UK, is still owned by the Government of Ghana adding that the property is just under receivership until the debt owed to the company is paid by the Government of Ghana.
“An application for receivership had been made in respect of some properties belonging to Ghana. Of the properties which is the subject matter of the charge, only one, Regina House is used for commercial purposes.”
“The others have been described as diplomatic properties so these properties are not under threat, but even with the one which is the subject matter of the receivership, that is Regina House, I know negotiations are ongoing between Ghana and the judgment creditors GPGC to pay, but as of now Regina House is the property of the Government of Ghana, it is at the receivership,” he clarified.
He further indicated that the rent taken on the Regina House does not go to the Government of Ghana coffers because the property is under receivership by GPGC.
“The rent doesn’t go to the Government of Ghana because Regina House is under receivership but Regina House is still owned by the Government of Ghana. We are not receiving any money as a result of renting that property because of the judgment debt, but the rent that is being paid is nowhere near the amount owed.
“Legally, the property is still the Government of Ghana property. What it is is that the charging order gave the management of the property to GPGC solicitors or property appointees until the debt is paid, they cannot even sell the property, they haven’t even applied to sell the property to defray the judgment debt,” he disclosed in an interview with Joynews.
The Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Finance failed to fully comply with an earlier tribunal decision from the United Kingdom, a District of Columbia Court in the United States has awarded a $111,493,828.82 judgment debt against Ghana in favour of the Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC).
The court, in granting the Motion for Default Judgment in favour of GPGC, also ordered Ghana to pay mandatory post-judgment interest.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
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