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Vice President of think tank, IMANI Ghana, Kofi Bentil has said that he would consider Ghana a ‘nation for sale to the highest bidder’ if it turns out to be that the President accepted a Ford Expedition car gift from a Burkinabe contractor.

Joy News’ Manasseh Azure in his latest expose claims President John Mahama (then Vice President) was presented with a new Ford Expedition vehicle as a gift by Burkinabe contractor Djibril Kanazoe, allegedly for helping him to secure contracts for fencing Ghana’s embassy in Burkina Faso and also winning a 46.4km European Union funded Dodo-Pepesu Road Contract.

“Burkinabe contractor, Mr. Djibril Kanazoe, who has received praise from President John Mahama for his work, has confirmed he presented a brand new Ford Expedition to the President as a gift…,” Manasseh wrote in his expose, which was also aired on Joy FM.

These claims have been challenged by the Communications Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah.

“The programme sought to link a vehicle presented to the President in 2012 to two contracts awarded to a Burkinabe-owned construction firm. The said vehicle, which was placed in the vehicle pool at the Presidency as per established convention had nothing to do with the award of the contracts,” the Communications Minister posited in a statement.

But Dr Omane Boamah's assertion has been dismissed by Imani's Kofi Bentil.

“I am so ashamed to hear people say the vehicle was put in the pool so its not a problem...,” he stated in a Facebook post. He continued: "This thinking is appalling to say the least and reveals the dearth of knowledge of the people in power about fighting corruption!!. “So don't they know that this is an absolute no no? and Mr. Batidam goes to work everyday?? what does he do?? “If our Presidency is this open to contractors, then our nation is for sale to the highest bidder because Ghana doesn't have a proper process for managing gifts to the President. so anything goes! “If we want to accept gifts at the Presidency, lets develop a proper procedure (like they have in the US) for that. So that its clear to everyone,” he insisted.