Did Ex-Veep Aliu Mahama Steal Peacocks From The Castle?

That some Exotic birds at the Castle Garden, at the seat of Government in Osu, were removed when the NPP left office in January this year, is as shocking as it appears comical. Peacocks and Pea Hens have been in the Castle Gardens since the days of the Rawlings Military Junta. Reports say a Foreign Head of State gave the birds to Jerry Rawlings on one of his rare travels when he was a Military Head of State. The Birds have since produced and continue to add to the aesthetic beauty of the Castle Gardens which have hosted several Heads of State including the Americans George Bush and Barack Obama. But according to the Enquirer newspaper on Friday, November 6, only 7 out of 20 Exotic Peacocks are left at the Castle Gardens. Reason?...It is alleged that Former Vice President Aliu Mahama and Nana Ama Kufour, eldest daughter of Former President J. A Kufour had removed some of the birds. The story sounded a bit bizarre, so we enquired from Abdul Wahab Alhassan, a close aide to former Vice President Aliu Mahama whether his boss actually took the birds away. He was shocked at the reportage. �Is it not surprising for anybody to think that the former vice president arrested peacocks from the castle; I believe it�s not an easy task to arrest a peacock, is it?...How can anybody imagine that the fact that you have peacocks in your house and some peacocks are missing from the castle means that your peacocks are castle peacocks?� he queried. Sources say when the former Vice President saw the story he initially giggled and threw the paper aside but upon receiving several phone calls, he chided the paper and demanded a retraction and an apology. The Former Vice President has a collection of the decorative birds in his private residence. Abdul Wahab said that however, does not mean that he (Aliu Mahama) �stole� those birds from the castle. �The Vice President owns peacocks in his residence and they are his. He has nothing to do with castle peacocks. He admires the birds and he acquired them by himself,� he said.