Henry Manly-Spain rejects judgment debt payout amounting to GH¢79.7 million after publicly declaring that his personal principles prohibit him from accepting money beyond his actual financial loss. Furthermore, the prominent director and shareholder has taken formal administrative steps to halt the disbursement from state accounts.
The rare act of public integrity highlights ongoing debates surrounding judicial awards and financial accountability across public sector institutions. Consequently, civic leaders and policy experts are calling for tighter audit controls to prevent unjustified payouts from state coffers.
Henry Manly-Spain rejects judgment debt payout following court ruling
The High Court previously awarded GH¢79,651,132 to Servistar Minwax (WA) Limited in a lawsuit against the Ghana Revenue Authority over unrefunded import duties and auctioned cargo. However, company director Henry Manly-Spain clarified that the company’s baseline claim was only about GH¢8.95 million.
Furthermore, he explained that even when adding legitimate accumulated interest, the total entitlement should not exceed GH¢10 million. Additionally, he noted that accepting the extra tens of millions of Ghana cedis would harm the national economy.
“My conscience will not allow me to accept and enjoy such an amount that is far beyond the value of my original claim,” stated Servistar Minwax director Henry Manly-Spain.
Additionally, he emphasized that taking money above his legitimate claim would constitute a disservice to the public interest. Consequently, he submitted a formal petition asking revenue leaders to halt processing the transaction.
Formal petition submitted to review government liability
Following the court ruling, the director submitted an official petition to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority to stop the money transfer. Furthermore, he requested an independent review involving oversight agencies to establish the exact liability owed to Servistar Minwax.
The dispute stems from a 2009 transaction involving auctioned shipping containers and overpaid customs duties totaling roughly GH¢8.95 million. Moreover, during court proceedings, the businessman attempted to alert presiding officers about the payout inflation but was unable to modify the written ruling.
I cannot fathom seeing myself taking such money when I have actually realised the struggles facing the government in providing the basic needs of Ghanaians,” added Henry Manly-Spain.
Ultimately, public health and social service advocates have praised the decision to decline the excessive windfall. By insisting on a factual audit, the businessman has set an ethical benchmark for public sector engagements across the country.
Source: GhanaWeb
