Airbus bribery scandal: Mahama is ‘Gov’t Official 1’ – NPP

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The New Patriotic Party has revealed the unnamed ‘Government Official 1’ in the Airbus bribery scandal is former President John Dramani Mahama.

At a press conference in Accra Monday, the Communications Director of the party, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, said Mahama should tell the country what he knows about GO1 and the processes leading to the purchase of the aircraft form Airbus SE.

European aviation giant, Airbus, has confessed to paying huge sums of money as bribe to government officials and persons close to the seat of government during the Mills and Mahama administrations.

Court documents reveal that Ghana is among countries Airbus doled out millions of dollars as bribe between 2011 and 2015 to strike deals through secret agents.

“It was a pervasive and pernicious bribery scheme in various divisions of Airbus SE that went on for a number of years,” US District Judge Thomas Hogan said.

“… Notwithstanding the referral to the OSP, it is important to note that the former Hon Attorney Generals intervention on behalf of candidate Mahama is very weak and unable to directly respond to the hard facts as put out by the United Kingdom Serious Fraud Office (SFO). It is therefore necessary that former President now Candidate John Dramani Mahama responds directly to the issue himself,” Asamoa stressed.

According to the NPP, the serious nature and processes involved in the accusations demand immediate action to remove any dents on the image and reputation of Ghana.

“The companies used to receive the bribe money have been named. The shareholder who is very close to the former President has been named. Document falsification, kickbacks, lies and overpayments is what the Airbus scandal is all about. And it appears John Mahama is deeply involved.

“Candidate Mahama is no stranger to speaking to the international community. He has been known to assemble diplomats even if he has nothing to say except lies as demonstrated in the false tapes saga of Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituteuncy matters,” he said.

Significantly, Asamoa said this is just one of Mahama’s corruption scandals, where he personally led the negotiations and for his close associate to execute on his behalf and collect the bribes.

“… The Airbus issue appears similar to the Embraer investigations, which then Attorney General, now OSP, Martin Amidu, was tasked by President Mills to do but was aborted in mysterious circumstances,” he noted.

Probe

President Nana Akufo-Addo has ordered the country’s special prosecutor Martin Amidu to investigate the Airbus bribery scandal implicating Ghana and other countries.

“President Akufo-Addo has taken notice of the judgement and its implications, and has referred it to the Office of Special Prosecutor to collaborate with Its UK counterparts to conduct a prompt inquiry to determine the complicity or otherwise of any Ghanaian government official, past or present, involved in the said scandal, and to take the necessary legal action against any such official, as required by Ghanaian law,” a statement signed by director of communication at the presidency Eugene Arhin said.

Meanwhile, a former attorney general under the Mahama administration, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong has denied any wrongdoing on their part, describing local reports as “misleading and false.”

“The reports alleging that Airbus SE paid bribes during the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama are false, misleading and do not reflect the Approved Judgment,” Appiah-Opong said in a statement.

Source: Daily Mail GH