President John Dramani Mahama tagged with corruption - Hopeson Yaovi Adorye

Hopeson Yaovi Adorye

‘Ghana Must Know’ a pressure group, believes President John Dramani Mahama can only extricate himself from the tag of corruption if he sets up a bi-partisan or parliamentary committee to investigate some of his questionable dealings. Many, have accused President Mahama of not only superintending over a corrupt government but also being neck deep in the act. At a press conference in Accra, Convener of the ‘Ghana Must Know’ Forum, Hopeson Yaovi Adorye enumerated series of corruption allegations against the President which remains hanging, asking Mahama to come clean.

Chief among them was the controversial purchase of the five Embraer aircrafts and hangar deal which cost about US$106.75m but the planes never got to Ghana. Even though the late President Mills was thought to have set up a committee which membership included former Interior Minister, William Aboah, George Amoah and Brig Gen Allotey(rtd) to investigate the controversial deal, its report or findings were never made public.

Then Vice President Mahama was in charge of the entire process of the acquisition of the aircrafts and the hangar. It is for this reason; Hopeson said “we will be grateful if the President will set up a new committee to investigate the said deal he headed if he has nothing to hide.”

Better still, he indicated that “the President can have the bi-partisan parliamentary committee which we are advocating to include the 5 Embraer aircrafts and hangar in its terms of reference and we are sure Martin Amidu, just like ourselves, will readily avail himself as he has already indicated.”

He also talked about the infamous Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and Armajaro scandals which rocked the government. Armajaro is a British cocoa buying and processing company which was banned from purchasing in Ghana after investigation revealed that they were smuggling cocoa into neighboring countries.

Under very bizarre circumstances however, the ban was lifted. But, Haruna Mahama, an aide to President Mahama, issued a statement threatening to have CHRAJ investigate the said act of corruption by then Vice President Mahama, claiming an estimated £10million exchanged hands at the time.

In that regard, they have asked President Mahama to set up a bi-partisan parliamentary committee or a committee of distinguished Ghanaians to investigate him as he said in Ho on 5th October, 2012. They have indicated their preparedness to gladly appear before such a committee with their evidence.