Wikileaks: Kufour’s corrupt empire exposed

... As political gossipers ran for cover

It was always known in Ghana’s portion of the wikileaks cable exposure that rocked the world’s political elites since last year will be shocking. But the damage the recent release would cause the characters that featured could not be predicted until now.

The Republic can confirm that since the August 31 release of classified diplomatic cables from the US Embassy in Ghana by the international whistle blowing website, Wikileak, many of the characters whose name popped up in the US confidential cable have been making frantic efforts to clear themselves publicly.

Some of the prominent names which have been dropped by the tongue wagging revelation are, Mr. J.A Kuffuor and JJ Rawlings, both former Presidents of the Republic of Ghana, Professor, John Evans Atta Mills, current President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akuffo Addo, flagbearer of the main Opposition party, NPP, MR. Francis Poku, former Minister and Cordinator of National Security under Kuffuor’s administration.

Also mentioned among the big names are; Mr. JH Mensah, former minister and in-law of Mr. J.A. Kuffuor, Chief Kufuor, son of former President Kuffuor, Kudwo Mpiani, former chief of staff under NPP administration, Charles Bintim former minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Sammy Crabbe, Former chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Branch of the NPP and Mr. Akrasi Sarpong the Executive Director of NACOB.

Others include, Messrs Kwesi Pratt , Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Ben Ephson, polls-star and Editor of Dispatch newspaper, Gabby Otchere Darko, Executive Director of Danquah Institute, Dr. Obed Asamoah, founder of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) Joe Ghartey, Attorney General under Kufuor’s government and still counting.

Among the striking revelations by the Wikileaks are the way and manner the Kufuor led NPP administration allegedly conspired and looted the nation’s purse with the booties traced to families and cronies of President Kuffuor and some members of his inner cabinet.

The following allegations for instance were made by the report which left the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lurk in their own propaganda suit. Bellow are but some of the revealing exposures of the cable.

• 25. Former Local Government and Rural Development Minister Charles Bintim was demoted for being ineffective and unable to account for $200,000 reportedly deposited in a personal bank account in 2005, although he was kept as a minister apparently because he is the only tribal Konkomba in Cabinet.

• 46. The $200 million in funds made available annually through the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) are reportedly a source of significant corruption. Senior Minister Mensah (brother-in-law of the president) controls the HIPC funds, and uses these resources to fund the Government Of Ghana's patronage network. #WIKILEAKS

47. When Government of Ghana (GoG) negotiators complained about not having personnel experienced enough to fully evaluate Alcoa's proposals, Alcoa submitted a list of consultants recognized industry-wide for their competence and offered to pay for any work contracted. GoG officials refused, but submitted a list of Ghanaian experts (all GOG officials) and asked that Alcoa pay them instead. Alcoa refused the proposal. #WIKILEAKS

• 48. Alcoa, currently [2005] negotiating with the Government of Ghana (GoG) over their proposal to build an integrated aluminum industry, reports that GoG interlocutors asked for $3 million to fund an internal public relations campaign to promote the industry within the various ministries involved in the negotiations. When Alcoa officials asked for a line-item budget to justify the cost, their interlocutors could not produce one. #WIKILEAKS

• 26. By the end of January 2006 the situation at Ghana International Airlines began to unravel. According to former CEO Vitale, GIA's new CEO, UK citizen Brian Presbury, had given Vice President of Public Affairs Sammy Crabbe a free hand in managing GIA. Vitale reported that Crabbe was giving inflated contracts to service providers owned by relatives, friends, and in at least one case, Crabbe himself. #WIKILEAKS •

• 33. The Embassy has received a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support Major Tandoh as Ghana's candidate for Deputy ITU Sec General. As Chairman of the NCA he repeatedly blocked and delayed the resolution of Westel's dispute with Govt of Ghana. He is also widely rumored to among the most corrupt GoG officials. •

• 39. Ambassador asked Prez Kufuor how HP's bid for the national ID project had lost out to France's Sagem. She wondered how Sagem could underbid the Govt's own $60m estimate by $20m. Compounding Embassy's concerns were reports that the President's son Chief Kufuor worked as a consultant for Sagem, and Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani, who oversaw the process, had manipulated it in favor of Sagem. #WIKILEAKS •

• 44. The editor of the Enquirer, who has been very aggressive in reporting on high level corruption, told PolChief on November 25 that he has faced serious pressure from the president and his staff to back off of corruption stories, especially related to his investigation of the Confederation of African Football stadium deal (which implicates the GOG in accepting bribes from the Chinese) and the presidency's alleged use of procurement kickbacks to fund the ruling party. #WIKILEAKS •

• 46. The $200 million in funds made available annually through the Highly Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC) are reportedly a source of significant corruption. Senior Minister Mensah (brother-in-law of the president) controls the HIPC funds, and uses these resources to fund the Government Of Ghana's patronage network. #WIKILEAKS

47. When Government of Ghana (GoG) negotiators complained about not having personnel experienced enough to fully evaluate Alcoa's proposals, Alcoa submitted a list of consultants recognized industry-wide for their competence and offered to pay for any work contracted. GoG officials refused, but submitted a list of Ghanaian experts (all GOG officials) and asked that Alcoa pay them instead. Alcoa refused the proposal. #WIKILEAKS

48. Alcoa, currently [2005] negotiating with the Government of Ghana (GoG) over their proposal to build an integrated aluminum industry, reports that GoG interlocutors asked for $3 million to fund an internal public relations campaign to promote the industry within the various ministries involved in the negotiations. When Alcoa officials asked for a line-item budget to justify the cost, their interlocutors could not produce one. #WIKILEAKS

74. Ambassador Princen's wife concluded emphatically that Rawlings is a drug-user. Periods of high-level energizing were followed by Rawlings' disappearance for thirty minutes, and upon his return he was subdued and even mellow. He perspired profusely at short notice, and consumed large quantities of non-alcoholic drinks. Princen reinforced my own impression that Rawlings' attention span has shortened of late.

94. Sources report that Poku visited his office over the weekend and shredded documents and took some films from his office which now cannot be located. GOG officials are also concerned that Poku may have been using GOG resources for his personal benefit and wanted additional details from him. Sources report that Poku returned home later on January 16 under a police escort which will remain outside his residence until he departs for further "debriefing" on January 17.