The former deputy Minister for Power, Mr John Jinapor thinks that allegations that helicopters purchased by the erstwhile Mahama administration for Ghana Gas Company were missing are attempts aimed at ‘denigrating’ the former administration.
He said the helicopters were with the Ghana Air Force since the army has the expertise to handle the helicopters.
The co-chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), Dr Steve Manteaw who is also a member of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) had raised the alarm following a visit to Ghana Gas.
Dr Manteaw had asked the whereabouts of the helicopters during the visit and said he was aware they were purchased at about $150million.
Since the people he interacted with could not immediately tell him where they were, it was concluded that the helicopters were either missing or they were never purchased.
But responding to media publications on the matter, Mr Jinapor said in a radio interview with Neat FM Wednesday morning that the claims were strange and unfortunate.
“We procured four helicopters and they were commissioned by John Mahama in public. Ghana Gas does not have the pilots and expertise to fly the helicopters…the helicopters are not supposed to be parked at Atuabo…the Ghana Armed Forces was asked to manage the helicopters.”
Mr Jinapor added: “the helicopters are not missing…before I left office, the helicopters were in good shape and were working…the management saying they do not know about the procurement of the helicopters is surprising.”
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why did u spend hundred million dollars on an equipment that you do NOT have the capacity to use?
PLease go and checkout wether a double purchase was made (4 heli for airforce and 4 heli for ghanaggas) but only one purchase came in(4 heli)
They were overpriced..... It was a create, l00t and share scheme.
Oh Mr Jinapor, now you are changing your gear to Ghana Gas Company? Please stay at 'Ameri and defend the indefensible. That the Ameri contract was beyond board you said. You were on radio and TV stations cracking your voice hoarse to defend the crooked Ameri deal which never washed. You listened to only your voice with sly smiles on your face. But I tell you what, the veiled deceit was all written on your face. You were only fooling yourself. Please, address the purchase of seven choppers at $150 million. We are interested in that not about four choppers sitting at the Airforce base. If you have found your voice again, please respectfully tell Ghanaians why you guys sat aloof and allow '***barred word***' to buy these exorbitant helicopters? Or you know them as pals? Or it was scratch my back I scratch your back?
Was the purchase of the helicopters a prudent decision? This is complete waste of the country's resources. Who is accounting for this asset now? Is the Ghana Airforce or Ghana Gas? So who has been using the helicopters and for what Oh Ghana. There must be an immediate probe into the operations of Ghana Gas. Some of the previous directors have no good track record as far as financial management is concerned. MINORITY LEADER IN PARLIAMENT WHEN IS THE NEXT PRESS CONFERENCE? Mabey and Johnson revisited.
They are just throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians. I've never heard of any Oil or Gas company in this world that sublets their equipment to the country's airforce. The fact is that John Mahama wanted to buy helicopters, but didn't know how I go about it without being obvious. So luckily for him Kufuor found oil and gas for NDC to misuse, and they conceived the idea of buying them for Ghana Gas. Why should they be parked at the Air Force Base if they belong to the company?
What a stuupido decision to buy helicopter for a company that does not have capacity to use them. SO the money dey so you for use???
These people will always defend every issue even when they are caught with their pants-down. Unfortunately in most instances since some of our journalists are unable to ask the relevant follow-up questions they always get away with it. I'm sad too!
Why buy helicopters for an organisation that does not have have personnel to use them? So the helicopters are now being used for Air-force duties or Ghana Gas? Why was the NDC government using the country's resources like that? Places that were genuinely in need of money, like the NHIS, were ignored whilst lots of monies were spent on purchasing things for organisations that had no use of those items. Sad!!