I took time off my busy schedule and perused through Kofi Adams (the National organiser of the NDC) denial of the alleged constitution of a committee by the late Mills to investigate his then Vice President, Mahama over dubious aircrafts deal.
In fact, I glanced through the said story with extreme puzzled countenance (See: ‘Mahama wasn’t investigated by Mills for corruption’-Kofi Adams; cityfmonline.com/ghanaweb.com, 20/09/2016).
“The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has refuted claims by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that President John Mahama was at a point, investigated for alleged corruption by late President John Evans Atta Mills”.
In response to the NPP’s press conference on Monday 19th September, the National Campaign Coordinator for the NDC’s 2016 campaign, Kofi Adams, repudiated: “the NPP was only fabricating such stories to tarnish the image of President Mahama”.
Yes, Kofi Adams may be right, for the committee set by the late Mills to investigate Mahama did not take off.
All the same, Mr Amidu has previously revealed that the late President Mills set up a committee to investigate his then Vice President(Mahama) on what he(Mills) perceived as an irrevocable dishonesty on the part of his vice president.
However, according to Mr Amidu, the late Mills) could not put his foot down and woefully allowed the committee to somehow turn a blind eye to his directives.
What Kofi Adams should remember is that even though the committee could not finish its work, there are serious questions here that discerning Ghanaians must probe on Mahama’s alleged corrupt practices.
First of all, did President Mahama engage in corrupt practices with regard to the acquisition of the aircrafts?
Secondly, was the late Mills really unhappy about the conduct of his then Vice President, Mahama?
Moreover, did the Committee refuse to carry out President Mills directives?
Kofi Adams, please pay attention while we try to pin the bizarre and straddled jigsaw together.
First, let us ruminate over the former Attorney General, Mr Martin Amidu’s revelations on the corruption allegations.
Kofi Adams, if you may recall, a few years ago, Mr Amidu came out and told the whole nation that in July 2011, there was a hue and cry about the prices for the acquisition of five (5) aircrafts for the Ghana Armed Forces.
Mr Amidu revealed: “even though on 26th July 2011, the late Prof. Mills attempted to defend the purchase of the five aircrafts, he became convinced of the necessity to set up a committee to investigate those purchases”.
Kofi Adams, don’t you think the late Mills had a gleam of suspicion on his mind and felt Mahama was trying to rip off the nation?
Yes, in a way, critical thinkers can infer that the late Mills was not happy with the deal. And, if that was not the case, why would he set up a committee to investigate Mahama, the architect of the whole deal?
Kofi Adams, it is an indictment on President Mahama and therefore the honest thing for him to do now is to come out and repudiate the corruption allegations, not just by words, but through actions.
That is, President Mahama must do the honest thing by allowing the committee set up by late President Mills to resume its work immediately without any constraints.
By doing this, discerning Ghanaians will then take him (President Mahama) more seriously about his never ending claims of not being a corrupt leader and doing everything possible to fight the existential corruption.
Mr Amidu continues: “a Committee to Investigate the Processes of the Acquisition of Five Aircrafts (5) including Embraer 190 Aircraft and hanger for the Ghana Armed Forces consisting of Mr. William Aboah, Mr. George Amoah, and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd) former Judge Advocate-General was put together”.
Kofi Adams, based on the preceding revelations, I have no doubts whatsoever in my mind that Mr Amidu’s story is credible.
First, Mr Amidu has gone ahead and named the members of the committee set up by the late President Mills.
Secondly, the fact that none of the committee members has come out to repudiate or disassociate themselves from the allegations gives credence to Mr Amidu’s averment.
The big question then is why have they kept quiet over the story? Your guess is as good as mine.
Mr Amidu further avouched : “the terms of reference of the Committee as I was instructed and drafted them for the late President were: “(i) to investigate the processes adopted in selecting, negotiating, and agreeing on the acquisition of the aircrafts; (ii) to investigate the competitive advantage, prices of the aircrafts and the level of economic and financial due diligence conducted by relevant agencies in the process of acquisition of the aircrafts; and (iii) to investigate any other matter that in the opinion of the Committee is reasonably related to the foregoing terms of reference”. “Pressure groups never allowed the Committee to take off”.
“But the very fact that the late President Mills even contemplated this committee meant that he was uncomfortable with and suspicious of the alleged inflated prices of the aircrafts”.
Kofi Adams, there we go. Amazing revelations! Did pressure groups indeed interfere with the work of a committee set up by President of the nation? Were the pressure groups from the ruling party? If so, do they have vested interests in the purchasing of the aircrafts or what?
Anyway, whatever their reasons may be, their actions were unlawful, and can best be described as an attempt to pervert the cause of justice.
Are we really serious as a nation at all? How on earth can pressure groups mulishly and selfishly interfere in a legitimate committee’s work?
You see, our problem as a nation is, we have sycophant, incompetent and ‘nodding yes men and women’ who are only interested in amassing wealth at the expense of the masses. So they would go to every extent to achieve such objective.
Undeniably, the Late President Mills put his trust in Mahama, but if we are to believe Mr. Amidu’s account of the corruption saga, we can then deduce that Mahama betrayed the trust the late Mills reposed in him. It therefore explains why the late President Mills set up a committee to investigate him.
In fact, there are serious issues here that need to be considered by the voting public. For, if, indeed the late President Mills did not trust Mahama prior to his death, why should discerning Ghanaians go ahead and hand over our sovereignty to a supposedly untrustworthy?