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The managing Editor of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has urged Ibrahim Mahama to avoid politicking and ‘quietly’ focus on clearing his indebtedness.

The brother of former President John Mahama was a few days ago, invited by the Economic and Organised Crimes Office’s (EOCO) to interrogate him on the issuance of 44 dud cheques to the GRA as payment of duties at the port. The cheques were to offset debts incurred by two companies owned by the former.

Subsequently, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) asked the two companies: MBG Ltd, a heavy duty equipment dealer and Holman Brothers to clear their indebtedness to the Authority in two weeks.

According to the GRA, MBG Ltd owed 13.15 million cedis in duties in December 2016 which was supposed to have been paid by November 2015.

The other company, Holman Brothers, also owed 3.71 million cedis as of December 2015.

Speaking to this issue, Kweku Baako says “the companies should ask themselves if they are capable of redeeming the obligation. If they are not I think nothing stops them from going back to the table with GRA; trying to get an extension”

“They decided that the money be paid within a certain time frame plus penalty. I believe this is not insurmountable…the companies should realise they are in business; they are in the heat and so their posture and philosophy should be their focus.  Deal with the bodies responsible for which ever business you went into; sit with them, negotiate a deal and make sure you can fulfil them and I think the two companies are capable of doing it despite the default that has become controversial and a topic for discussion”

Kweku Baako is optimistic that whatever is going on will not lead to the collapse of the two companies.

“…I don’t see how this thing is going to be the end of the road for these two companies’

Spokespersons

After this issue emerged, a few people started speaking on behalf of Ibrahim Mahama. It cannot be confirmed if the spokespersons were appointed by Mr Mahama or not however they were on various media outlets speaking to the issue.

However, according to Kweku Baako, the spokespersons are rather adding salt to injury.

According to him, everything going on is a business transaction gone bad and not a political issue; hence Mr Mahama should advise them to cut out the ‘political noise’.

“It’s noisy; that’s not the way to go about business difficulty and challenges. Cut out the political noise and crowd manifestations, get serious people to sit with the companies, negotiate a deal, redeem your obligation and continue with your business. This is not the end of the world” he noted on Wednesday's edition of 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM.