Why the OSP ought to investigate Mahama’s $900M fourth richest saga before 2024 election

The recent report by several online portals which cites former President John Dramani Mahama as the fourth richest Ghanaian with a net value of $900M has sent shock waves across the length and breadth of the country.

Dearest reader, I would like to humbly submit that there is absolutely nothing wrong for an extremely rich person to aspire to lead the nation.

It is also a step in the right direction if concerned individuals call for the investigation into the sources of the aspiring presidential candidate’s wealth.

Of course, politicians are bona fide descendants of Biblical Adam, patently, imperfect human beings, and therefore susceptible to human foibles as everyone else.

Undoubtedly, the former president boasts of extensive work history and has done well for himself over the years, so why so many alleged bribery and corruption scandals hanging around his neck?

Ironically, some concerned Ghanaians believe that former President Mahama has more alleged bribery and corruption scandals hanging around his neck than any other president in the history of Ghanaian politics.

The critics have been wondering how and why the extremely wealthy former president is allegedly being linked to the corruption scandals such as the Airbus, the STX housing deal, the Brazilian aircrafts, the Ford Expedition Vehicle, the Armajaro saga, among others.

Dearest reader, if you may recall, a few years ago, four courageous Ghanaians petitioned the then Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu to probe into the alleged E.O. Group’s $13 million corporate social responsibility fund towards the development of the Western Region which the petitioners claimed to have been diverted by Ex-President Mahama (See: ‘Mahama diverted $13m E.O. Group money; probe him – Four citizens petition Amidu’-todaygh.com/ghanaweb.com, 18/06/2018).

As if that was not enough, a group of patriotic Ghanaians petitioned the Special Prosecutor to probe the alleged oil money of GH40.5 million which was surreptitiously transferred to the presidency, via the then Chief of Staff (See: ‘Group explains why Amidu must probe Mahama, Debrah in GH¢40.5m BOST payment’; myjoyonline.com/ghanaweb.com, 19/09/2018).

But that notwithstanding, the unhappy former President Mahama is said to have lamented plangently: “This trial by newspaper affects the credibility of the government. If you hear that several sums of money have gone missing yet no one has been arrested for prosecution, then you are destroying the confidence of people in the credibility of the government. So the trial by media must stop (ghanaweb.com).”

Paradoxically, Ex-President John Dramani Mahama has previously dared President Akufo-Addo to arrest, investigate and prosecute him or any member of his administration if there is incontrovertible evidence to suggest that they amassed wealth illegally during their time in office (See: Catch the ‘supposed’ thieves to prove your charges – Mahama dares Akufo-Addo; ghanaweb.com, 30/04/2018).

It is, however, worth noting that unlike other equitable jurisdictions where the former and incumbent presidents may face the full rigour of the law without any recourse to their status, in Ghana, the present and past presidents are insulated by the seemingly irrational and unjust indemnity clauses.

Take, for example, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, was investigated, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to nine years and six months in prison on corruption and money laundering charges.

Ex-President Mahama would complain inexorably: “Instead of focusing on the job to make Ghana a better place, every day they complain that an amount of money has gone missing. If money has been lost, conduct the investigation and arrest the perpetrators. Who has the power?”

But contrary to former President Mahama’s arousing disgust and incessant denials of rampant bribery and corruption in his administration, a competent court of jurisdiction has convicted four of the numerous corruption suspects in the erstwhile NDC administration and sentenced them to prison.

Interestingly, however, some concerned Ghanaians maintain that the sins of the four convicts are meagre in comparison with the other scandalous corruption cases which took place in the erstwhile Mahama administration.

To be quite honest, anybody who has passing familiarity with the outrageous events which took place during the erstwhile NDC administration would not insist that all was well.

Some of us jumped for joy when the current Attorney General and the Minister of Justice decided to arraign some suspects in the botched Saglemi housing project before a competent court of jurisdiction.

If you may recall, in 2012, the Parliament of Ghana duly approved a loan of 200 million United States dollars, an equivalent of 2.3 billion Ghana cedis to build 5000 affordable housing units.

However, the erstwhile Mahama administration readjusted the original contract on the blind side of the Parliament of Ghana and initially reduced the housing units to 1502 and further reduced to 1412.

What is more telling though, is that the outgone Mahama administration ridiculously used the 200 million United States dollars(GH2.3 billion) to build only 668 housing units instead of 5,000.

Somehow, we hear that the Office of the former president has come out to deny Mahama’s fourth position on Ghana’s millionaires list with a net value of $900M.

Well, if that was to be the case, then we hereby plead with the Special Prosecutor to conduct an urgent and purposeful investigation into the sources of the incredible wealth.

K. Badu, UK.

k.badu2011@gmail.com