Mama Labianca, We Beg You, RESIGN

It smacks of an attitude of selfishness, when a Council of State member officially found by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to have soiled her hands with acts of corruption decides to continue to stay in office rather than doing the noble act of stepping aside to at least save the reputation of the Council and Government for that matter.

Calls for the resignation or dismissal of Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh from the Council of State has intensified after the OSP indicted her of influence-peddling for allegedly using her position as a member of the Council of State and member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to get a favourable decision from the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), which led to a reduction in the tax liabilities of Labianca Limited, one of her several companies.

Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh’s Labianca Company Limited, based on a directive from the OSP has returned an amount of GHC1,074,627.15 representing the short collection or shortfall of revenue the company was to have paid to the State.

During the investigations, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh had the chance to defend herself which she did in the presence of her lawyers yet her company was directed to pay the GHC1,074,627.15 into the Asset Recovery Account of the OSP.

From the OSP’s official findings so far, some corruption-related anomaly involving had gone on involving Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh’s Labianca Company Limited had gone on and although her company, which she has commenced operations in 2014, the improper acts began in 2017 only after she had been elected a member of the Council of State and appointed a member of the governing board of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

It may be a coincidence but that would be a curious one.

Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh despite the findings, continues to remain a member of the Council of State – a body of prominent citizens mandated by the Constitution- to counsel the President in the performance of his functions.

Members are to offer credible, impartial and timely advice to the President of the Republic, Ministers of State, Parliament and other Public Agencies to ensure responsible and accountable Governance.

It is expected that members of the Council should be law abiding citizens who are above reproach.

Therefore it is an unpardonable embarrassment that the OSP would officially indict a member of using her influence in an unfair way to the selfish benefit of her private company.

Ghanaians would continue to have doubts in their minds about the credibility and reputation of this particular member as long as she remains on the Council.

If she contributes to the advice the Council gives the President, Ghanaian would have cause to wonder how unbiased the advice is.

Is it possible to spare this august body this torture by simply joining the calls on Madam Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, owner of Labianca Company Limited to step aside?

Ah well…