COCOBOD relied on testing from GSA because CRIG was potentially compromised -Witness
During the investigation by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) into the anomalies surrounding the purchase of large volumes of Lithovit Foliar fertiliser from Agricult Ghana Limited, the investigative body sought an independent testing of the fertiliser from the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) because the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) was implicated and potentially compromised.
Dr Yaw Adu-Ampomah, who chaired that investigative body, told the Accra High Court today that normally COCOBOD will depend on CRIG to test fertilisers and agrochemicals. Its report on the testing will then be relied upon to make decisions.
He added that, however, “in this situation since CRIG was implemented, samples were sent through the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to the GSA for testing”. He said this when answering questions under cross-examination as a witness for the state in the ongoing prosecution of Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni, COCOBOD’s former Chief Executive.
The test from the GSA found that the active ingredients in the fertilizer were only in negligible qualities. Instead of the 70 percent of calcium carbonate content in a counterfeit sample of Lithovit Foliar fertilizer, only 0.06 percent of the chemical was detected in what was procured from Agricult Ghana Limited. Similarly, only 0.86 percent of magnesium carbonate was detected instead of the expected 4 percent.
Interferences and directives to change the testing processes and protocols at CRIG during the time of Dr Opuni as head of COCOBOD meant that the fake fertiliser will for years go undetected.
One such change to the protocols of CRIG caused field testing by scientists and technical officers to be ceased. The other was a directive which asked scientists at CRIG not to subject all new fertilisers and agrochemicals to the full rigour of proper scientific testing, if the fertilisers and agrochemicals were supposedly similar to ones already on the market.
The implication was that such fertilisers and agrochemicals would not be tested in the field on cocoa plants at different stages of development over a period of months, which had been the norm in the history of CRIG, to establish plants’ responses to every particular product.
Dr Yaw Adu-Ampomah said in addition to the interferences, farmer complaints were also ignored. Several cocoa farmers complained about the inefficacy of the Lithovit Foliar fertiliser which was supplied to them. “Some farmers complained that, the liquid [Lithovit] fertilizer was like water and that when they go to their farms and there is no water, they could drink some.”
This question of the inefficacy of the fertiliser supplied by Agricult Ghana Limited is in part the bases of the present lawsuit against Dr Stephen Opuni and Mr Seidu Agongo, the owner of Agricult Ghana Limited.
The two men are facing 27 criminal charges. They are accused of defrauding by false pretences, money laundering, corruption by a public officer, acting in contravention of the Public Procurement Act and causing financial loss to the state, to the tune of GH¢271.3m.
The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, 11th February 2020 for cross-examination to continue.
Source: thefinderonline.com
