General News of Monday, 16 January 2017

Source: asempanews.com

‘Gold House’ is Mahama’s private home – NDC Organizer reveals

Former President John Mahama Former President John Mahama

The Greater Accra Regional Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has revealed that the ever popular Gold House located around Kawukudi area is former President Mahama’s private residence.

According to Anthony Nukpenu, President Mahama has packed out of the No. 3, Prestige Link, Cantonments bungalow and now living in his private home comfortably with his family.

Speaking on Eye Witness News today, the NDC organizer confirmed that since former President Mahama’s return from Nigeria and Bamako he has not set foot at the Cantonment bungalow.

“The last time I came into contact with president Mahama was around Gold House,” he told the host Richard Dela Sky.

When asked by the host, whether Gold House is the ex- president’s private home, Anthony Nukpenu responded on the affirmative. He also gave a conflicting account whether he was referring to the President’s brother, Ibrahim Mahama’s home or Mahama’s private resident.

“The brother’s home is his home, whatever home his brother is occupying is ex-president Maham’s home. The owner of the house will only show by documentation, whoever put it up may not necessarily be the owner of the house” he insisted.

Mr Nukpenu flatly denied knowledge of assertion that a private citizen in Accra has offered Former president Mahama a residential apartment at Airport residential area to live in with his family.

The NDC man also described as sheer hypocrisy and mischief on the part of the NPP and its leader, Nana Akufo-Addo regarding the resettlement of President Mahama and all the row on his bungalow request.

“These are people you cannot trust in one bit, the dishonesty of people you think you can trust but we should be looking far. And that was what an out-going government and its officials didn’t see it coming. Dealing with the NPP one needs to be very careful and if you want to eat with them you use a very long spoon,” Anthony Nukpenu cautioned.

The former President Mahama had earlier refused to leave a state bungalow despite the expiration of his tenure saying he had been given the nod to own the property.

President Mahama subsequently in a letter addressed to President Akufo-Addo and copied to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on January 10, 2017 withdrew his request to keep the state bungalow as his retirement home and another property as his office.

He did not give further explanation for his decision but said, “I do recognize that these are facilities that are conventionally extended to Presidents that leave office and I am also mindful of the approval by the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana on Wednesday, 4th January, 2017 at its Twenty-Second Sitting of the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session.”