Airbus Bribery Scandal: Sad and disgraceful news for Ghana - Pius Hadzide

Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, has described the Airbus bribery scandal that involves Ghana as sad, disgraceful and dented the image of the country worldwide.

"It is sad to note that all major international news outlets are talking about Ghana in a negative way due to the involvement of past government officials in the Airbus bribery scandal . . ." he said on Okay FM.

According to the report about the ruling of the Crown Court in the United Kingdom, some government officials in the erstwhile late President Atta Mills and John Mahama administrations were involved in the bribery scandal.

The Guardian disclosure has stated that Airbus, Europe’s largest aerospace multinational, was found guilty by a High Court in London for paying huge bribes in “Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Taiwan and Ghana to secure contracts between 2009 and 2015".

With regards to Ghana, the report further stated that the planemaker, according to Section 7 of UK’s Bribery Act 2010, “between 2009 and 2015 engaged intermediary 5, a close relative of a high-ranking elected Ghanaian government official (Government Official 1), as its BP in respect of the proposed sale of three aircraft to the government of Ghana. A number of Airbus employees knew that intermediary 5 was a close relative of Government Official 1, a key decision-maker in respect of the sales."

"A number of Airbus employees made or promised success-based commission payments of approximately £5 million to the intermediary. False documentation was created by or with the agreement of Airbus employees in order to support and disguise these payments. The payments were intended to induce or reward improper favor by the Government Official 1 towards Airbus.”

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Pius Enam Hadzide hinted that the Akufo-Addo government upon knowledge of the news has instructed the office of the Special Prosecutor led by Martin Amidu to investigate the scandal.

"It is sad news and a disgrace for the country. If you read the report about the ruling of the Crown Court in the United Kingdom very well, it shows that the past administration officials were involved in the bribery scandal and this is embarrassing for the entire country," he bemoaned.

He, however, assured that the Special Prosecutor will do whatever necessary to redeem the name of the country which has been destroyed with this scandal.

He, therefore, pleaded with the Special Prosecutor to speed up with the investigations.