On N604EP In Tehran And Matters Arising: The Crony Capitalism Must Stop

The Patriotic Youth Forum has followed closely, events over the last few days involving a private jet with registration, N604EP, supposedly owned and operated by Engineers and Planners, a Ghanaian registered company which belongs to Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, a younger brother to President John Mahama.

Initial report from official sources in Iran as to why an aircraft of US origin was seen in a Tehran airport has set in motion events which have necessitated this release. The report suggested that contrary to what was rumored in the US media, the plane had on board Top Ghanaian officials and no US citizen.

We found it intriguing that on the eve of John Mahama becoming president of Ghana, his brother announces the purchase of a private jet, a jet, we now learn is being rented by a government headed by the brother of the owner of the jet for official government trips abroad.

We ask, what has happened to the official presidential jet?

Subsequently, E&P has come out to give further clarification on the matter which raises further questions. We are compelled to believe what the Iranian authorities had to say because though the company claims there was no government official on board that flight, it goes to further add that the president has never flown on N604EP. We will like to know:

1. What was N604EP doing in Switzerland on January 22, 2012 when the president was in Davos for the World Economic Forum? 2. Late last year, the plane was once again seen in London at a time

the president was in London. What was the plane doing in London around that time?

Government officials might find our position on the matter speculative as the instances cited above may be coincidences but then, we believe as president, he owes us the sacred duty to bring clarity to this matter and such clarity, must come with verifiable facts lest, we consider as speculative also the position that government had nothing to do with it. We ask the following question again;

1. Has the president ever flown officially on N604EP before?

2. Has the government ever hired N604EP for any other official purposes and what led to the decision to choose N604EP?

3. If it ever has, we will like to know where the presidential jet was during that period.

We owe a duty to the people of this country to protect the public purse from unnecessary strain. We call on our government to come out and bring some clarity to this matter. We have funded with our sweat all the luxuries currently enjoyed by our leaders with the hope that somehow we will have a feel of such luxury someday. We cannot sit and watch president and his team of managers, scheme and misuse our sweats through such cronyism.

Furthermore, looking at the prominence this matter has assumed in international circles, it is important

government comes to give clarifications on the matter.

God bless Ghana, God bless Us all......

Signed ......,........................

Kwame Kwarteng (0235282893)
Kwabena Adu -Parkoh (0542600276)
Takyi Mensah ( 0249167226)