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Politics of Saturday, 13 January 2024

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Where did you get the money to build a sports complex? – Dr Amoah asks Dr Bawumia

Dr Kofi Amoah (L) and Dr Mahamud Bawumia (R) Dr Kofi Amoah (L) and Dr Mahamud Bawumia (R)

Renowned economist and businessman, Dr Kofi Amoah, has asked Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to disclose the sources of his wealth.

Dr Kofi Amoah made this demand as he was reacting to a post by Dr Bawumia, in which the vice president disclosed with pictures that he commissioned an ultra-modern sports complex, he used his personal funds to construct in Nalerigu on January 7, 2024.

Dr Amoah, in a post shared on X, on Saturday, January 13, 2024, made the point that even though he supports Dr Bawumia’s gesture, the building of the sports complex and some other donations and projects he has undertaken raise questions about his source of wealth given the amount of money he earns and numerous allegation of corruption in the government.

“However, because of who you are, your access to the public purse and the raging issues of corruption and malfeasance… bankrupting our country but even more importantly, setting the horrible and unacceptable example that some of our youth are copying, it would be most helpful if you could, Sir, go a bit further and indicate where you got the money from to finance the project

“As you know, public servants of your type are required to declare their assets when they assume power for their new total assets to be reviewed when their terms of office end … all this as part of the mechanisms for checking corruption by politicians using their positions to amass wealth illegally; unfortunately, this law is not diligently implemented and supervised, making mockery of the law’s intent,” he wrote.

He added, “I believe public servants of your level are also supposed to declare all gifts received from others so as not to be in the pockets of individuals, organizations or foreign nations as a measure for our national security and to also check malfeasance”.

Dr Amoah also made the point that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana does not allow the vice president to engage in any profit-making activities which cast doubts on the source of funding for the ‘personnel’ projects undertaken by the vice president.

View posts shared by Dr Amoah and Dr Bawumia below:

Thank you Dr Bawumia for the sports complex you have “personally” financed

Such acts of benevolence that we all undertake in our communities and in the country at large must be appreciated and encouraged

However, because of who you are, your access to the public purse and the raging issues of corruption and malfeasance… bankrupting our country but even more importantly, setting the horrible and unacceptable example that some of our youth are copying, it would be most helpful if you could, Sir, go a bit further and indicate where you got the money from to finance the project

As you know, public servants of your type are required to declare their assets when they assume power for their new total assets to be reviewed when their terms of office end … all this as part of the mechanisms for checking corruption by politicians using their positions to amass wealth illegally; unfortunately this law is not diligently implemented and supervised, making mockery of the law’s intent

I believe public servants of your level are also supposed to declare all gifts received from others so as not to be in the pockets of individuals, organizations or foreign nations as a measure for our national security and to also check malfeasance

I have no reason to doubt your altruism nor do I have any solid proof that you financed the project from ill-gotten wealth

However, your official salary is known but we also hear about numerous funds give-aways from you that sometimes seem to not add up properly to have been able to come from your official salary alone

And by the Constitution, Sir, as you are aware, you’re are not allowed to engage in profit making activities whilst serving as the Vice President

It would therefore be a good gesture of assurance if you were to expound on where all these monies you dash out come from if in fact your salary cannot cover them… ie a normal lifestyle audit for check and balance

Just saying and also trying to create an alert for our public office holders to behave in the transparent manner that will give some credence to some of their hallowed pronouncements of “fighting corruption”

In case I’m pulling on straws, pls kindly correct me and tell the public your position on this very important anti-corruption matter

Happy New Year, Your Excellency; as always I wish you well

And pls extend my regards to your P K Sarpong, for inviting me to response to your DIGITALIZATION crusade; my response is coming and thanks for the opportunity to share more light on the matter for the public to weigh in on what proper governance and the allocation of public resources should be to REALLY benefit the public

Our eyes are now wide open, no tentacles!




BAI/OGB

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