Mr. Bernard Quao, an auctioneer, testifying at the Justice Glenn Baddoo Committee, on Tuesday, described the conduct of auctions at the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) yard at Tema as chaotic.
The Witness, who said he did some auction work for the CEPS between April and May of this year, said the CEPS deviated and did not as normal attach the list of items that were to be auctioned to the contract letter given him.
Also, instead of a typed copy of the reserved price, the value at which the owner of a property wants it sold to be auctioned, being given in advance, he was given such on handwritten paper, sometimes illegible, in a minute or two before the auction began.
"Mr. Chairman, I observed a number of things I've never faced before", Mr. Quao, who said he had done the work of an auctioneer since 1987 told the four-member committee, which has been sitting in Accra since last week.
The Finance Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, last July inaugurated the four-member committee, with a one-month working period, and chaired by Mr. Samuel Glenn Baddoo, a retired Supreme Court Judge, to look into alleged malpractices of the operations of CEPS, and offer recommendations to improve the Service.
According to the Witness, a customs official Madam Millicent Akpo-Teye, a CEPS official, who was to supervise the auction, postponed the auction for the first day without any advance notice.
"Each time we were going auction, she gives me the list a minute or two before we start the auction. So, up to that time, I did not know what was to be auctioned... I realized it was not the normal thing. This continued till the fourth time, but if I ask her, she tells me this the normal thing."
Mr. Quao said he subsequently wrote to the CEPS Commissioner, Mr. Emmanuel Doku who promised to invite Madam Akpo-Teye to make available the list, but the auction still continued with the list and he subsequently decided to go along with the auction without the advance list.
"At one time when I wanted the list of items, Madam Millicent postponed the auction and angrily told the people that I was being difficult. Within this period, I took advantage to get back to the Commissioner to tell him of my grievances."
Witness said the Commissioner gave him audience and promised to have a meeting with all auctioneers.
Witness disagreed with Counsel for Madam Akpo-Teye, Mr. Yao Yegbey in a cross-examination that he was bearing Madam Millicent a grudge and had brought the evidence against her because his application for re-appointment as auctioneer for CEPS was not granted.
Source: GNA
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
Over 50 students and teachers in Ashaiman educated on Gender-Based Violence
55 mins -
Construction of 1,000 housing units for Akosombo Dam victims set to start soon – Oppong Nkrumah
1 hour -
Global InfoAnalytics reports Mahama at 51.1% in election 2024 with Bawumia at 37.3%
1 hour -
Democrats sue to block Georgia ballot hand count rule
1 hour -
Prince Harry celebrates ‘little legends’ at London charity awards
1 hour -
Ghana Health Service warns of increasing measles cases in Ashanti Region
1 hour -
AGI warns PURC: Utility tariff increases detrimental to industrial development
1 hour -
Breast Society of Ghana urges action against galamsey to safeguard public health
1 hour -
TUC vows to move forward with planned protest and strike over galamsey fight
1 hour -
Danquah Institute Head of Research urges creation of Mining Development Bank
1 hour -
Parliament set to reconvene at AICC on October 15
2 hours -
My galamsey comment was doctored – Dr Ayew Afriye
2 hours -
CSOs call for national dialogue to address perception issues of EC
2 hours -
How mobile phones have made it difficult to let your hair down at public gatherings
2 hours -
Entrepreneurial initiatives must align with green innovation – Ga Mantse
2 hours