'I Relied On Abuga Pele�s Advice'- Humado

Mr Clement Kofi Humado, former Minister of Youth and Sports, told the Financial Division of the Fast Track High Court that, he relied on the technical advice and competence of Abuga Pele. �I told him I was freshly appointed and had barely been at post, so if he (Pele) is satisfied with the deliverables, then l can approve the process, which he did,� he added. The payment was in relations to a memo forwarded to Mr Humado, asking for reimbursement to the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI) and Goodwill International Ghana consortium for work done to collate data to be forwarded to the World Bank. Activities performed by the consortium were listed as labour policy review, action plan for Youth Enterprises Programme (YEP) development, exit programme for all YEP modules and the engagement of 250 people to collate data for the World Bank. Mr Humado was answering questions in a cross-examination from Raymond Bagnabu, Counsel for Philip Akpeena Assibit in the GH₵ 4.1 million GYEEDA trial in Accra on Friday. Pele, former National Co-ordinator, Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) and 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. Asked whether, the witness knew there was no agreement between MDPI and GYEEDA; he said he was not in the position to know since the agreement was signed prior to his assumption of office. The former sector Minister said, he got the first request letter on the letterhead of MDPI, later on the MDPI/GIG consortium letterhead and another solely on GIG letterhead, so it would be strange to him, if they don�t have an agreement. The counsel, also made reference to a cabinet memo addressed to the witness, which indicated that the $65-million World Bank facility was secured but Mr Humado said the facility was not secured. �No money was released to the Ministries of Finance and Youth and Sports to the best of my knowledge,� he added.