Mahama took Ford ‘gift’ on behalf of Ghanaians – NDC

A Deputy Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fred Agbenyo, says President John the Ford Expedition vehicle, meant as a ‘gift’, on behalf of Ghanaians.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Agbenyo insisted that “the President didn't accept that as a gift for himself, he accepted the vehicle for mother Ghana.”

Mr. Agbenyo's view is however not shared by critics, who have described the President's acceptance of the Ford gift from the Burkinabe contractor as a  careless  act that could also constitute  bribery.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has already received two petitions over the matter; from the youth league of the Convention People's Party (CPP), and a private individual.

CHRAJ has indicated that it has initiated steps that could lead to an investigation of President John Mahama, following the receipt of the petitions accusing him of conflict of interest.

NDC supports an investigation by CHRAJ 
Following these developments, Mr. Agbenyo said the NDC will comply with any investigation by CHRAJ because “the NDC is a law abiding organization and on any day, we will appear before any committee set up in this county to investigate whatever,” he said.

But the Deputy Communications Director maintained that, the President's action was done with the nation in mind.

“This vehicle is not parked in President Mahama's house. The vehicle is for Ghana, he has given the vehicle to Ghana and Ghana has benefited from the vehicle.”

Mr. Agbenyo further slammed as unacceptable the allegations of corruption being made against the President.

According to him, “The noise all over the place creating the impression that some wrong has taken place, that somebody has engaged himself in conflict of interest or some bribery and corruption, I think that it is unacceptable. It is not because we are going for election that people will be throwing anything they think of just like that, people should be a little principled.”

Ghanaians should be worried by government’s posture

But a Deputy Communications Director of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Anthony Karbo, insists that  Ghanaians should be worried about these developments.

Deputy Communications Director of the NPP Anthony Karbo

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Karbo asserted that “for the President to have received this gift, it is a matter of concern and we must be worried. Who knows what other gift the President has received?”

He also stated that, President Mahama's admission that he accepted the gift was justification enough for a full scale investigations into the allegations of impropriety.

Karbo’s party has already requested for a parliamentary probe into all contracts awarded the Burkinabe contractor in question, Djibril Kanazoe, and in his view,“for the President and the government to admit that indeed they took this gift, is enough to trigger a full scale investigation into this matter because we have to drill down and get to the bottom of this issue.”

Background
President John Dramani Mahama has come under intense public bashing for accepting the car gift worth about US$100,000 from a Burkinabe contractor, allegedly to influence him.

The Burkinabe, Djibril Kanazoe, has admitted giving President Mahama a Ford Expedition vehicle, for which the President called to thank him.

The gift, according to reports, was prior to an attempt by the contractor, to win a bid to execute the Dodo Pepeso-Nkwanta road construction project.

The same contractor had also been contracted to build a wall, at a cost of over half a million dollars, for the Ghana Embassy in Ouagadougou.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana