Airbus Scandal: What Mahama told the OSP when he was interviewed

The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, on Thursday, August 8, 2024, for the first time disclosed that his outfit, the Office of the Special Prosecutor, interviewed former President John Dramani Mahama over his involvement in the Airbus scandal.

Kissi Agyebeng, who announced that Mahama was the name behind the “Government Official One” tag in the Airbus scandal during the release of an investigative report on the scandal, said that the former president was interviewed by investigators on January 5, 2024, and was very welcoming.

The Special Prosecutor, in the report, indicated that Mahama, whom it cleared of any wrongdoing, opened up about the decision to purchase the aircraft in the Airbus deal by the Ghana Air Force and the Military Command in broad consultation with relevant state institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence, and ultimately, Parliamentary approval.

He said that the former president also disclosed that he met officials of Airbus once, during an official trip to London where the company made a presentation on its crafts to the government of Ghana.

“Former President Mahama admitted that during his term as Vice President of the Republic, he met with officials of Airbus sometime in February or March 2011 on an official trip to London – where the Airbus team made a representation to government on their products, including helicopters. He stated that it was a formal meeting attended also by the Minister of Finance, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Commander of the Ghana Air Force,” part of the OSP's report reads.

The former president also indicated that he is only accused of corruption because of his brother's involvement with Airbus, which he had no hand in.

Here is what the former president told the OSP about the Airbus scandal as captured in the report:

The OSP interviewed former President John Dramani Mahama on 5 January 2024 in Accra.

Former President Mahama intimated that he had had the opportunity to publicly respond to the allegations against him of bribery by Airbus through intermediaries in respect of the purchase by Ghana of C-295 aircraft from Airbus. However, he welcomed the OSP’s interview.

He recounted that to the best of his recollection, the procurement of new aircraft for the Ghana Air Force began in August 2008 under the tenure of former President John Agyekum Kufuor, when the Air Force decided to replace its Fokker F-27 medium lift aircraft with C-27J Spartan aircraft. At the time, the project was to be executed under the Foreign Military Sales of the United States with the expectation that the United States would assist Ghana with a grant or loan to purchase the aircraft and provide pilot training and logistics support. The final decision was to purchase four aircraft. Thereafter, a framework contract was developed, followed by inspection visits by the Ghana side and negotiations among the Air Force Headquarters, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Finance, Attorney-General’s Department, and representatives of the US Government, toward the purchase of the aircraft.

Former President Mahama stated that on or about 14 April 2009, during the presidency of former President John Evans Atta Mills, the Air Force submitted a proposal to the Government of Ghana designed to replace all the ageing Air Force transport fleet comprising the Fokker F-27, BN-2 (Defender), and the Skyvan. Following a comparative analysis of various aircraft, a recommendation was made to the effect that the United States Government should be engaged to facilitate the acquisition of the C-27J Spartan aircraft. However, as it turned out, the year 2012 initially agreed for the delivery of the aircraft was impractical, and the purchase price had increased substantially.

Consequently, the Air Force was constrained to consider other options. After a selection review, it opted for the CASA C-295 aircraft from Airbus because it met its operational requirements at a much cheaper cost. Equally important, delivery of the aircraft was guaranteed for the end of 2011. The Air Force accordingly wrote to the Minister for Defence on its choice.

In the reckoning of former President Mahama, the decision to acquire the C 295s was taken professionally by the Ghana Air Force and the Military Command, in general, in the best interest of Ghana, and in broad consultation with relevant state institutions including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence, and ultimately, Parliamentary approval. Therefore, any suggestion that he had corruptly or improperly influenced in any way the process of acquisition is simply fanciful and untrue.

Former President Mahama opined that he believed the allegations of corruption levelled against him stemmed from the fact that Samuel Adam Foster, his brother, was involved in Airbus activities in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa at the time, and the suspicion was always that because of that familial relationship, Foster might have been a corrupting source for influencing Government’s decision to award the supply contract to Airbus. Former President Mahama stated that he had no hand whatsoever in the establishment of any relationship (formal or otherwise), which Foster had with Airbus.

Former President Mahama admitted that during his term as Vice President of the Republic, he met with officials of Airbus sometime in February or March 2011 on an official trip to London – where the Airbus team made a representation to Government on their products, including helicopters. He stated that it was a formal meeting attended also by the Minister of Finance, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Commander of the Ghana Air Force.

Former President Mahama also admitted that he subsequently met one or other Airbus official in his office a couple of times in connection with the sale of the aircraft. He described the meetings as being invariably official engagements with one or other responsible state official present – the purpose of which was to discuss progress of the proposed sale of aircraft.

Former President Mahama further stated he never received any bribe or inducement or gained any personal benefit or advantage from the procurement of the aircraft for Ghana. And that Airbus did not make any such allegation against him.

BAI/NOQ

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