News
Stakeholders dialogue on domestic revenue mobilization at Shama
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Friends of the Nation (FON) in collaboration with the Shama District Assembly recently organised a stakeholders’ engagement on tax dialogue and validation of the 2021 Annual Progress Report (APR) of the Assembly.
The meeting which was attended by taxpayers including market women, artisans, farmers, representatives from Shama Traditional Council and departmental heads, was part of measures to boost domestic revenue mobilisation in the Shama District of the Western Region.
Opening the workshop, the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator of FON, Nana Efua Ewur, explained that the programme was aimed at accounting to the citizenry on activities implemented in 2021 and also discuss the way forward for resource mobilisation in 2022.
The District Planning Officer, Alhaji Abu Mahama, also told the participants that the engagement was to showcase the assembly’s technical and financial report for stakeholders to make inputs before it was forwarded to Accra.
He said that the district assembly was working harder to become a model district in Ghana and that in 2021, out of 64 planned projects, 59 were executed, saying that, “not all have been completed.”
The Budget Officer of the Shama District Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Nana Yartel, reported that, many people still had some misconceptions about the assembly’s revenue mobilisation management.
It was for this reason that, the assembly with support from FON, for the past years, had been engaging stakeholders on tax dialogue in so many ways to deepen citizens’ participation and understanding in domestic financing at Shama.
Mr Yartel said “The purpose of taxation is to fund public goods and services, undertake public infrastructure, for example, schools and markets, stabilise the economy and also redistribute income. Again, the basis for charges are also to deter quacks and incompetent persons from operating and also to register businesses.”
Speaking on the expenditure pattern of the assembly, he indicated that, there had been gradual increment of the assembly’s internally generated fund (IGF), explaining that, the successes were due to the assembly’s engagement with taxpayers and stakeholders.
“Currently we have a database of tax payers and still updating it. We need to widen the net of our internally generated fund (IGF) and let people in the district be aware about how funds are utilised.
“The assembly will continue to strengthen its tax payer services and tax expenditure on the dashboard to ensure accountability and transparency in a bid to engender confidence in the tax payer.” the budget officer said.
Mr Yartel mentioned that cemeteries and burial grounds, charity or public educational institutions, public hospitals and clinics and premises owned by diplomatic missions, as may be approved by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, were exempted from assessment and rating tax.
During an open forum, the Queen of Nyanikrom , Nana Akosua Gyamfiaba 11, appealed to the assembly to be moderate in it budget proposal so as not to project huge and unrealistic budget which could not be realised.
By Clement Adzei Boye, Shama
Lawyers for former NAFCO Chief Executive Officer, Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, say they will file an appeal despite a High Court directive for the Attorney General to amend two counts of defrauding by false pretences in the ongoing case.
The court on Wednesday ordered the AG to amend the two charges in the case involving the former NAFCO CEO and co-accused, Faiza Seidu Wuni.
Reacting to the ruling, counsel for Hanan Aludiba, Godfred Yeboah Dame, expressed dissatisfaction with the decision.
“Even though they’ve been ordered to amend some of the charges, we’ll still file an appeal. I think the decision was not so sound,” he said.
The case is part of ongoing prosecutions linked to alleged financial irregularities at the National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO).
The High Court’s directive means the prosecution will have to revise aspects of the charge sheet before the trial proceeds further.
Background
Counsel for former NAFCO CEO Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, led by Godfred Yeboah Dame, filed an application seeking to have the charges against their client dismissed.
They contend the charges are fundamentally flawed and violate his right to a fair trial.
The State, represented by Deputy Attorney General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, opposed the application, maintaining that the charges are valid and that the accused ought to face trial.
Lawyers for Hanan’s wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, led by Augustine Obour, who would also benefit if the application succeeded, yielded their time to the lead counsel for the first accused.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
News
High Court rejects dismissal request in NAFCO Case, orders prosecution to amend 2 of 16 Charges Against former CEO
The High Court has declined a request by lead counsel for former National Food Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) Chief Executive Officer, Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, to dismiss charges against him, but has directed the Attorney General to amend two of the 16 counts filed against him.
Presiding Judge, Justice Francis Apangabonu Achibonga, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge, ruled today that while the prosecution must revise Counts 9 and 14, the trial will proceed on all charges.
This means the trial of the couple will continue on a combined 20 counts.
Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba is facing 16 counts, while his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, is facing 4 counts. Both pleaded not guilty on May 18, 2026 and are currently on bail.
Godfred Yeboah Dame, former Attorney General and lead counsel for the first accused, had argued for the dismissal of the charges. Reacting after the ruling, he said the decision was not sound and indicated plans to file an appeal.
“Even though they’ve been ordered to amend some of the charges, we’ll still file an appeal. I think the decision was not so sound,” he stated.
Augustines Obuor is lead counsel for the second accused, Faiza Seidu Wuni, whiles the Republic was represented by Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, Deputy Attorney General.
The case relates to alleged financial irregularities at NAFCO and is being closely watched as part of government’s efforts to hold public officials accountable.
The court has directed the prosecution to effect the amendments to Counts 9 and 14 before the trial proceeds further.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
