Dr Bawumia is complicit in failed PDS, ECG concession deal – Mahama

• Former President John Mahama

Presidential candidate of the opposition NDC, John Dramani Mahama, has accused Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s candidate, of complicity in the failed Power Distribution Services (PDS) – Electricity Company of Ghana concession deal.

The former president alleged that Dr Bawumia single handedly changed the bank guarantee of the deal to an insurance guarantee which ended up in the country being defrauded in the aborted concession agreement.

Addressing a rally at Kukurantumi in the Abuakwa North constituency on day- three of his campaign of the Eastern Region on Wednesday, former president Mahama said the Vice President and all persons involved in the debacle would be investigated and prosecuted.

According to former president, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who he described as “clearing agent” was aware of the involvement of his veep and relatives but “he would not act as usual.”

He alleged that the president’s relatives were heard on a secret tape negotiating the shares against the principles of fairness in such a deal.

This, he said, underscores the deep-seated corruption and nepotism in the Akufo-Addo’s government which would be subjected to investigation.

To him, the annual loss of funds as has been contained in the Auditor-General’s report would be tackle comprehensively by establishing a special court to try any person cited.

He said if such loopholes in the management of public funds blocked there would be no need seeking external financial bailout from the Britton Woods institutions.

The campaign took the former president to New Juaben North, Fanteakwa North and South, Atiwa East and West and Abirem constituencies.

In New Juaben North, the former president pledged to elevate a bag manufacturing company initiated by the party’s parliamentary candidate, Samuel Adongo, to produce bags on a large scale for Ghanaian students.

In his view, “this is not the Ghana we handed over to Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP. They are incapable of managing the country. Let’s take it from them and hand over to the NDC,” he noted this in Twi.

In Atiwa East, Mr Mahama urged the electorate to vote out the NPP for using state funds on fathom projects like the National Cathedral.

The US$58 million spent on the project which is still at foundation state, former president Mahama said would be investigated and persons culpable prosecuted.

At Kwabeng in the Atiwa West Constituency, the former president pledged small scale miners of introducing technology in their trade.

He said small scale mining was permitted by Ghanaian laws but the worry is mining in water bodies.

He urged the miners to help flush out those involved in illegal mining known as galamsey.

FROM JULIUS YAO PETETSI, KUKURANTUMI