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Opinions of Monday, 10 February 2020

Columnist: Edmund Kyei

Edmund Kyei writes: Airbus scandal under Mahama international embarrassment

Ghana's credibility at the international level is fast eroding since the news of the Airbus corruption saga unfolded.

Airbus, Europe's largest multinational plane manufacturing company, recently admitted to a high court in London of paying bribes to some countries in order to secure contracts in Ghana was unfortunately mentioned.

Airbus started dealing with Ghana between 2009 and 2015, and Airbus confirmed in court that, during those years they were dealing with a high ranking elected government official who played a key role in the transactions.

On the 3rd of August 2011 government of Ghana and Airbus company signed an agreement to purchase military aircrafts (C-295) that was when money started exchanging hands for contracts.

Upon the arrival of the C-295 aircraft, it was ex President Mahama who commissioned the aircraft to the Ghana Armed Forces, and during the commissioning Ex President Mahama was the then commander in chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and during initial stage (2009) of the transaction Ex President Mahama was the chairman of the Armed Forces Council and a key decision maker too.

All these negotiations passed through his office per the positions he held and there are so much questions that the ex President needs to answer to Ghanaians, because if he is not involve then he may know the person (OFFICIAL 1) per the role he played.

Ghana has undergone much shame at the Apex level because of the personality involved (Government Official One) as described by the UK court of Justice.

Now I can say there are signs of relive to some Ghanaians because the president has ordered the Special Prosecutor to investigate and bring the perpetrators to book but the sad thing is that Mahama's government has given Ghana a big scar at the international level.

By Edmund Kyei- Asokwa Constituency 1st Vice Chairman of the NPP