Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has disclosed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was indecently hasty in procuring aircraft from airbus.
According to him, when the issue first came up for discussion in the House, during his time as Minority Leader, he asked the then NDC Majority to err on the side of caution and not rush in purchasing the planes; but his admonishment was ignored.
In 2011, the NPP, then in opposition, vehemently challenged the cost of two Airbus C-295 aircrafts for the Ghana Army, which the ruling NDC government was spearheading.
That procurement has now been cited in a major bribery scandal involving the manufacturer, Airbus and some top Ghanaian officials.
Parliamentary Flashback
On 20th July, 2011, then Chairman of the Finance Committee in Parliament, James Klutse Avedzi, submitted the committee's report on the motion to secure a loan from the Deutshe Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola (Spain) for the acquisition of the two military aircraft.
In the course of the debate, the MP for Suame expressed shock that whiles on the website of Airbus the price of the C-295 is quoted as US$22m, documents tabled before Parliament pegged the price of the aircraft at €24 million per piece.
".....Mr Speaker, the cost price of the C-295, the Shell is US$22m from the manufacturers - their own website. Here, we are saying tha it is €24 million. Again, you wonder where these figures are being conjured from," he said.
To him, this was "unacceptable".
Aba! What Is This!?
Hin Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu also expressed surprise that within just a day, the document had been sent to the Attorney-General's office for advice, forwarded to the Minister for Finance and sent to the Office of the President for Executive approval.
"Mr Speaker, the A-G and Minister for Justice proffered his opinion on it on 21st June, 2011. The same day, it went to the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and on the same day, he also okayed it and sent it to the pResidency - the Office of the President - on the same day, 21st June, 2011, we had Executive approval. Ahba! Ahba! What is this!?" he quizzed.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that "as minority then, we did not oppose the purchase of the Airbus because it is something that we had started during former president kuffour's tenure as president and we were doing it with caution to ensure value for money for the people of Ghana.
"As parliament, we welcome the decision to have Martin Amidu the Special Prosecutor investigate the matter....
"However, I employ EOCO and Serious Fraud Office to take the matter up and cause investigations into the bribery scandal which involves some former government officials," he added.
The Crown Court at Southwark in the United Kingdom passed judgment on 31st January 2020, between the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and Airbus SE, in which the European multinational aerospace corporation was fined $3.9 billion for the payment of bribes to secure deals in five countries, including Ghana.
The London High Court found Airbus guilty and imposed a fine of three billion pounds (£3bn) as penalties.
Airbus was charged with five counts of failing to prevent bribery, having used a network of secret agents to pay large-scale backhanders to officials in foreign countries to land high-value contracts.
The Office of the President, in this respect, charged the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, to with immediate effect delve into the bottom of the Airbus bribery scandal and investigate the complicity of any public official, "past or present" who may have been involved in the saga.
A statement signed by Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin stated that these investigations are expected to be conducted in collaboration with the United Kingdom authorities.
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Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has disclosed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government was indecently hasty in procuring aircraft from airbus.
According to him, when the issue first came up for discussion in the House, during his time as Minority Leader, he asked the then NDC Majority to err on the side of caution and not rush in purchasing the planes; but his admonishment was ignored.
In 2011, the NPP, then in opposition, vehemently challenged the cost of two Airbus C-295 aircrafts for the Ghana Army, which the ruling NDC government was spearheading.
That procurement has now been cited in a major bribery scandal involving the manufacturer, Airbus and some top Ghanaian officials.
Parliamentary Flashback
On 20th July, 2011, then Chairman of the Finance Committee in Parliament, James Klutse Avedzi, submitted the committee's report on the motion to secure a loan from the Deutshe Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola (Spain) for the acquisition of the two military aircraft.
In the course of the debate, the MP for Suame expressed shock that whiles on the website of Airbus the price of the C-295 is quoted as US$22m, documents tabled before Parliament pegged the price of the aircraft at €24 million per piece.
".....Mr Speaker, the cost price of the C-295, the Shell is US$22m from the manufacturers - their own website. Here, we are saying tha it is €24 million. Again, you wonder where these figures are being conjured from," he said.
To him, this was "unacceptable".
Aba! What Is This!?
Hin Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu also expressed surprise that within just a day, the document had been sent to the Attorney-General's office for advice, forwarded to the Minister for Finance and sent to the Office of the President for Executive approval.
"Mr Speaker, the A-G and Minister for Justice proffered his opinion on it on 21st June, 2011. The same day, it went to the Hon Minister for Finance and Economic Planning and on the same day, he also okayed it and sent it to the pResidency - the Office of the President - on the same day, 21st June, 2011, we had Executive approval. Ahba! Ahba! What is this!?" he quizzed.
Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that "as minority then, we did not oppose the purchase of the Airbus because it is something that we had started during former president kuffour's tenure as president and we were doing it with caution to ensure value for money for the people of Ghana.
"As parliament, we welcome the decision to have Martin Amidu the Special Prosecutor investigate the matter....
"However, I employ EOCO and Serious Fraud Office to take the matter up and cause investigations into the bribery scandal which involves some former government officials," he added.
The Crown Court at Southwark in the United Kingdom passed judgment on 31st January 2020, between the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and Airbus SE, in which the European multinational aerospace corporation was fined $3.9 billion for the payment of bribes to secure deals in five countries, including Ghana.
The London High Court found Airbus guilty and imposed a fine of three billion pounds (£3bn) as penalties.
Airbus was charged with five counts of failing to prevent bribery, having used a network of secret agents to pay large-scale backhanders to officials in foreign countries to land high-value contracts.
The Office of the President, in this respect, charged the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, to with immediate effect delve into the bottom of the Airbus bribery scandal and investigate the complicity of any public official, "past or present" who may have been involved in the saga.
A statement signed by Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin stated that these investigations are expected to be conducted in collaboration with the United Kingdom authorities.
Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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You’re such a terrible writer. Feel free to write in any of our Ghanaian languages.
Osei Kyei Mensah gives us a break and where are they 450 excavators and 400 tricycles ? NPP just want to turn people mind from EC and the corruptions and stealing going on.Think about the people contesting you and stop talking like a JSS man. The way NPP is talking about the Airbus is now what really the case is and stop all that tricks.
Airbus bribery fallout: Investigations launched worldwide
We know very well that Mahama and some members in NDC will be nailed now and in the near future. We we want really is the return of WO Amedeka who actually killed our late judges and fled the country without trace by the government at that time PNDC. Now we have got Mahama on the way of Kwame Nkrumah's communism .
WHAT IS YOUR OUTFIT DOING IN REPEALING THE INDEMNITY CLAUSE FROM THE CONSTITUTION. CAN MR OSEI KYEI MENSAH MOVE THE EMOTION FOR SUCH A KILLING CLAUSE BE REMOVED SO THAT LIKES OF MR MAHAMA CAN BE PROSECUTED. AS FOR ATTONEY GENERAL THE LEAST THE BETTER. NO WONDER SHE HURRIDILY ISSUED THAT UNINVITED REJOINDER
MAHAMA MUST BE ARRESTED IMMEDIATELY AND CHARGED. MAHAMA MIGHT BE THE FIRST FORMER PRESIDENT IN GHANA TO BE IMPRISONED. THE STATE MUST FOLLOW THE RIGHT PROCESS OF THE RULE OF LAW TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER TO THE BOTTOM. AS THE MALAYSIANS SAY IF YOU WANT TO WEED OUT CORRUPTION BEGIN FROM THE TOP AND NOT THE BOTTOM. WE DON'T HAVE ANY KANGAROO COURTS TO TRY THE INVOLVED. WE SHALL NOT KILL ANYBODY FOR UNSUBSTANTIATED ACCUSATION. PROPER INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE TRUTH TO COME OUT. THE CULPRIT MUST BE MADE TO PAY AND BE PUNISHED FOR WHATEVER IS STOLEN FROM STATE. IT WAS FOR THE AIM TO HIDE THIS TRUTHS ABOUT THE AIRBUS, AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT MILLS DIED. FOR THE SAKE OF MANY BLOODS SHED IN THE NAME OF CORRUPTION, NOBODY MUST BE SHIELDED FOR A CORRUPT DEED. THE GHOSTS OF THE GENERALS, THE GHOSTS OF OVERTHROWN PRESIDENTS ACCUSED OF UNSUBSTANTIATED CORRUPTIONS, AND THE GHOST OF MILLS WHO DIED MYSTERIOUSLY WOULD NOT FORGIVE THIS GENERATION IF WE OVERLOOK ANY REAL CASE OF CORRUPTION. GOD BLESS GHANA. GOD BLESS ANYONE WHO STAND BY THE SIDE OF TRUTH TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IN GHANA.
This was a clear case of create, loot and share (CLS), Ghanaian politicians are taking Ghanaian's for granted, if such day light robbery by politicians continue this way,then Ghana is in trouble, apart from Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. Hilla Limann, all past and present Presidents of Ghana are not fit to rule if corruption were the measuring rod, the poor gives you power to serve their interest, you turn around to bring in your family and friends to come create, loot and share, if nobody see you, GOD/ALLAH has seen you