Prez. Mahama’s brother in trouble

• Posted on October 2, 2015October 2, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

President John Mahama’s brother, Ibrahim Mahama, is in trouble over machinery and equipment he took from the state for his company – Engineers & Planners – to dredge the Odaw River in Accra under the name of a voluntary service.

The Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Parliament has demanded that the president’s brother bears the full cost of the machinery and equipment his company used in the dredging of the Odaw River, notwithstanding the fact that the exercise was undertaken free of charge because the assemblies which are the original beneficiaries cannot take second-hand equipment.

The NPP at a press conference yesterday addressed by its spokesperson on Local Government and Rural Development, Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh, pointed out that the machinery and equipment were acquired for distribution to the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies and not for private companies – which Engineers & Planners (E&P) is.

Mr Kyeremeh said the arrangement was “irregular, improper, and illegal,” as some of the machines had been sighted in places being used for E&P’s private activities.

Some of the equipment were found in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region as well as in the Northern Region working on private contracts, he stated.

Mr Kyeremeh indicated that it was wrong for equipment procured to be given out to a private company to undertake some work, regardless of the benefit to the state, and return them to the state as used equipment.

“We cannot give the assemblies used equipment. Which assembly is going to take used equipment and what is the guarantee that these equipment will be in good shape?” Kyeremeh queried.

Earlier Debate

The Minority’s demand has rekindled a subject which witnessed a lull after an earlier appearance on the media landscape when it triggered a heated debate among Ghanaians, its propriety or otherwise being the bottom line.

“Giving out equipment procured with public funds to a private company to work with is wrong. It is immaterial that the work was done for the benefit of the state,” the Minority said.

Headlines

Ibrahim Mahama made the headlines when, following the June 3, 2015 tragedy which hit Accra, it was decided to have the Odaw River desilted, its choked state said to have accounted for the exacerbation of the tragedy.

Tongues began wagging about Engineers & Planners’ engagement to undertake the dredging, especially its use of machinery and equipment acquired with state funds for the use of the district assemblies.

Those who opposed the acquisition pointed at possible conflict of interest, given the blood relationship between the president and the owner of Engineers & Planners.

The heavy duty vehicles were said to have been seen on sites of the president’s brother executing private jobs.

 Leaked Document

It was not until the sighting of a leaked document that Ghanaians were put in the know about the source of the machinery and equipment which bore the yellow and black coloured logo of the engineering company owned by the president’s brother.

No sooner had the document been made public than a chapter was opened in the media about the business opportunities being offered Engineers & Planners because it is owned by the president’s brother.

For those supportive of Ibrahim Mahama, their position is that he is after all a Ghanaian and so should be left to do his business as he deems fit. This has been countered on the grounds that he does not pass through the normal channels which others do.

Disappointment

District assemblies, according to the Minority in Parliament, had waited and hoped that with the arrival of the machinery and equipment, they would be given same so deductions from their district assemblies’ common fund could commence.

By Engineers & Planners acquisition, however, they had been denied what would have gone a long way to facilitate their operations across the country. 

Dismissal

The Minority dismissed the possibility of the assemblies receiving used machinery and equipment as inappropriate, these having been used by Ibrahim Mahama’s company in the so-called dredging of the Odaw River and therefore suffering depreciation.

Deputy Minister for Local Government, Nii Lante Vanderpuye has, however, described the demand as misplaced, adding that it is a rehashed request, having been made earlier.

Speaking to Joy Fm, he said the equipment would not be given to the assemblies as the Minority is saying, explaining that they would be placed in a central pool for the assembly’s individual use when the need arises.

“There is no particular district assembly’s name on any of the machinery,” he said, alleging that the Minority’s reaction is an attempt at impugning the integrity of the President.

AMA’s Lack Of Expertise

Strangely, Nii Lante said for instance the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) does not have the expertise to use the equipment but Engineers and Planners does and it was decided that the latter be given the items to undertake the project.

Observers are worried as to why the state would buy equipment that the assemblies cannot operate.

A DAILY GUIDE Report