GH¢300m+ Paid In Judgement Debts From 2017 To 2022: Finance Ministry

 

Judgement debt is the money that the government pays to individuals or organisations as a result of court rulings or out-of-court settlements. Judgement debt can arise from various cases, such as breach of contract, wrongful termination, negligence, or human rights violations.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the government paid a whopping GH¢300,385,317.52 as judgement debt from 2017 to 2022. This was revealed in an updated report on judgement debt payment issued in August 2023.

The report showed that the government settled the claims of over 60 parties within the five-year period. Some of the notable payments include:

- GH¢279,412.83 to Albert Osei in 2017 for a land dispute case.

- GH¢35,300.00 to Daniel Nii Quartey and John Addai in 2017 for wrongful dismissal from the Ghana Police Service.

- GH¢306,800.00 to Madam Martha Wood in 2017 for damages caused by the construction of the Bui Dam.

- GH¢29,510,855.06 to NDK Financial Services Limited in 2017 for a loan default by the Ministry of Health.

- GH¢157,596.91 to Moses K. Yeboah in 2017 for unlawful detention by the Bureau of National Investigations.

- GH¢2,400,000.00 to Asmona Limited in 2017 for breach of contract by the Ghana Education Service.

- GH¢502,025.61 to Yaw Eliasu and 57 others in 2017 for compensation for injuries sustained during the demolition of their houses at Adenta.

- GH¢57,202,751.00 to Vacuum Salt Product Limited in 2017 for the termination of a salt mining concession by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

The report also indicated that the government paid judgement debt to some foreign entities, such as the International Finance Corporation, the African Development Bank, and the China Development Bank.

The Ministry of Finance stated that the government is committed to reducing the incidence and cost of judgement debt by strengthening the legal and institutional framework, enhancing contract management, and pursuing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

You can read the full statement from the Ministry of Finance here.