Fixing the Country Movement’s intention to picket at the office of former President John Dramani Mahama over the Airbus scandal has been described as needless by one Baako.
Fixing the Country Movement seeks to embark on such an initiative due to the lack of progress in the Airbus corruption investigations involving the former president.
This comes after the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was petitioned by Deputy Director of Communication of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ernest Owusu Bempah to speed up its investigations into the Airbus bribery scandal.
But there has been no update yet, hence the movement’s decision.
Background
The Airbus scandal is one of many cases former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu started investigating.
Former President, John Dramani Mahama and his brother, Samuel Mahama were identified by Mr Amidu as subjects of this inquiry.
Airbus SE, a global aircraft provider based in France, agreed to pay hefty fines totaling more than $3.9 billion to resolve foreign bribery charges.
The charges were brought forth by authorities in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, stemming from the company’s scheme to bribe government officials and non-governmental airline executives worldwide.
As part of the global resolution, Airbus also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United Kingdom’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) over bribes paid in several countries, including Ghana.
The investigation revealed that Airbus engaged in a scheme from 2008 to 2015, offering and paying bribes to decision-makers and influencers to gain improper business advantages.
Of particular concern to the movement is the revelation that Airbus employed intermediaries, including renowned British actor Philip Middlemiss and John Mahama’s brother Samuel Adam Mahama, to facilitate the sale of military transport aircraft to Ghana.
The British and American authorities’ court records indicate that Airbus sought to obtain an “undue favor” from a member of the Ghanaian government, identified as “Government Official 1.”
The issue has become topical recently following President Akufo-Addo’s comments at the 2023 Ghana Bar Conference in Cape Coast.
According to the president, former president John Dramani Mahama has been identified as “Government Official No.1” in the scandal.
“Not only are these concepts of “NPP” and “NDC” judges new in our public discourse, they are also extremely dangerous, and represent the most brazen attack on the independence of the judiciary by any allegedly responsible politician of the 4th Republic.
“They provide another reason, if more were needed, why right-thinking citizens should ensure the defeat in 2024 of the man whom the first Special Prosecutor identified as Government Official No.1, in the still unresolved Airbus Bribery Scandal,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Source: theindependentghana.com
