Ghanaweb

Feb. 8, 2012

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Ken Agyepong, who first raised the never-ending Alfred Agbesi Woyome judgment debt saga last year, has charged the security agency and President Mills’ administration to cast its dragnet wider, by arresting Ghanaian-born Italian estate developer, Ernesto Taricone and adding him to the list of persons who have defrauded the country.

According him,Mr. Taricone, who is the owner of Trasacco Group of Companies and the two companies which were represented by Woyome-Waterville and Micheletti- is part of the dirty deal which has led to the loss of GH¢51 million and additional 33 million Euros to the state and therefore, must also be arrested immediately.

Ken Agyapong, made the call on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen current affairs programme, Show hosted by Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah last week Friday afternoon.

What many people may not know is that Mr. Taricone is not an ordinary man in Ghana. He is indeed, a friend to ex-President John Kufuor. Mr. Taricone is part owner of the plush Villagio apartments next-door to the Mr. Kufuor’s Airport West Residence in Accra, opposite the African Regency Hotel nicknamed “Hotel Kufuor”.

Insiders tells stories of what is suggested to be a cleverly crafted deal between the Kufuor family and Mr. Taricone. It is reported that a substantial portion (60 percent) of the Villagio apartment, which is run under the Trasacco Group of Companies, is owned by the Kufuor dynasty hidden in the name of “Chief Kufuor and family”.

As to how ex-President Kufuor orchestrated the cancellation of Mr. Taricone’s contract, to construct the stadia for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2008) awarded his two companies- Waterville and Micheletti- and led to his(Tracone) harvesting of 33 million Euros from state coffers is yet to be explained by Mr. Kufuor.

What is unclear is whether Mr. Kufuor stage-managed the abrogation of the contracts to Ernesto Taricone’s Waterville and Micheletti, and awarded it to the Shanghai Construction Group of China, to enable his government pay quickly the two companies the huge compensation under judgement debt, ostensibly for him (Kufuor) to also take his share.

The shocking thing about the Shanghai Construction Group of China deal is that the transaction did not go to Parliament for approval…Read more.

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