…Lacked merit, and no inputs from Opuni, Agongo
A tough-talking, Dr Gilbert Anim Kwapong, the former Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), has challenged the assertions of the Adu-Ampomah Committee’s report in the ongoing COCOBOD case, describing it as one-sided and lacking merit.
The report, which forms the foundation of the Attorney-General’s criminal trial of Dr Stepehen Kwabena Opuni, businessman Alhaji Seidu Agongo and his Agricult Ghana Limited, had claimed that the recommendation to use Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser on “mature cocoa trees” lacked scientific basis.
However, the committee’s claim that there was a recommendation to abrogate the Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser contract and withdraw the certificate, has been attacked and discredited by Dr Kwapong stating that during his time at CRIG, there was never an issue raised about Lithovit not being tested.
He affirmed that it was never brought to his attention.
It was revealed in court that neither Mr Agongo nor representatives of Agricult, appeared before the Adu-Ampomah Committee, despite the committee’s far-reaching findings.
Additionally, Dr Opuni, the former COCOBOD CEO, was not among the individuals interviewed by the committee before compiling its report.
During cross-examination by Benson Nutsukpui, lead counsel for businessman Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited, Dr Kwapong asserted that he does not recall any findings or statements by the Committee for Testing Chemicals and Machines (CTCM) or any COCOBOD scientific body indicating that Lithovit could not be used on mature cocoa trees.
He emphasized that throughout his tenure as acting head and subsequent head of CRIG, no such findings were brought to his attention.
Dr Kwapong, further disputed the committee’s finding that the certificate issued for Lithovit was not for liquid fertiliser.
He informed the court that all information supplied to him on the product indicated that Lithovit was indeed a liquid.
When questioned about a joint training with CHED in 2014, he confirmed that the Lithovit involved was, in fact, a liquid fertiliser.
Mr Agongo, Agricult, and Dr Opuni, who are facing charges related to the procurement of Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser for COCOBOD, allegedly causing a financial loss of GHS217 million to the state.
He told the court that contrary to the Adu-Ampomah Committee report’s assertion that the recommendation to use Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser on “mature cocoa trees” was “without scientific basis”, he does not “remember any such findings or statements” made by the CTCM or any scientific body of the COCOBOD throughout his stay as acting head and subsequent head of CRIG.
Dr Anin Kwapong, said if the CTCM or any COCOBOD’s scientific bodies had made such observations, they would have brought it to his attention.
Dr Kwapong stressed that throughout his tenure as acting head and subsequent head of CRIG, no such findings were brought to his attention.
Dr Kwapong, who is one of the people who appeared before the Adu-Ampomah Committee, also disputed the committee’s finding that the certificate issued for Lithovit was not liquid fertiliser.
He told the court, presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh, on Monday, December 11, 2023 that throughout his tenure as the acting head and subsequently executive director of CRIG, and thereafter, there was never an issue about the fact that the Lithovit that CRIG was dealing with was liquid.
“My Lord, all the information that was supplied to me on the product indicated that the product was liquid”, he told the court.
Mr Nutsukpui then asked: “Sir, indeed, the Lithovit on which there was the joint training with CHED for which you wrote exhibit 126, on 21 October 2014 was liquid fertiliser, that is true?”, to which he answered: “That’s correct”.
Dr Kwapong, also said while he was at CRIG, there was never an issue about lithovit not being tested.
“It was never brought to my attention”, he said.
In their report, the committee recommended that “the purchase of Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser contract should be abrogated” and “the certificate should be withdrawn”.
It, however, emerged in court that neither Mr Agongo nor representatives of Agricult, appeared before the Adu-Ampomah Committee, even though Dr Kwapong agreed with their lead counsel that “the findings of that committee are far-reaching”.
Similarly, Dr Opuni, is also not captured as one of the people the committee spoke to before compiling its report.
