Airbus scandal: Mahama has never been accused or investigated for wrongdoing by either UK or US – Special aide

The office of the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said the planned picketing by Fixing the Country Movement was clearly designed to take the attention of Ghanaians from the mismanagement of the economy by the current Akufo-Addo-led government.

The group had planned a demonstration and picketing at the Cantonments office of the former president, John Dramani Mahama.

A statement issued on Friday, November 24, 2023, signed by the special aide to former president, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, noted that the “needless aborted picketing” was to divert attention from “the public’s frustration with hunger and high costs of living, and the citizenry’s anger with the daily reports and evidence of high-level corruption sanctioned by the Presidency.”

It indicated that the NDC flagbearer has never been accused of, or investigated for, any involvement or wrongdoing of any sort by either the UK or US authorities in relation to Airbus.

“Indeed, neither the Ghanaian government nor any other authority anywhere in the world has any evidence of wrongdoing against him.”

“The Serious Fraud Office of the United Kingdom has long announced their discontinuation of the Airbus case due to lack of evidence,” while stressing that it is on record that: “there has been no breach of Ghana’s procurement laws or any other law in the processes leading to the purchase of the aircraft under the reference", part of the statement read.

The statement stressed that John Mahama remains focused on engaging the people of Ghana on his plans to revitalise the economy to create more opportunities and decent well-paying jobs in a 24-hour economy for the youth and Ghanaians, hence will not be distracted.

It added: “He is also poised to carry out far-reaching governance including anti-corruption and constitutional reforms to meet the aspirations and expectations of Ghanaians.”

The Fixing the Country Movement, which is sympathetic towards the governing NPP, had announced the calling off of its planned demonstration and picketing of the Cantonments office of Former President in a statement signed by its Convener, Ernest Kofi Owusu-Bempah.

The group said the demonstration, originally scheduled for Thursday, November 23, 2024, had been called off in response to a formal order from the Ministry of National Security.

The decision to cancel the demonstration comes in light of perceived security considerations communicated by National Security to the leadership of the Fixing the Country Movement.

The organisation has heeded the request and, as a result, has suspended the demonstration indefinitely.

"Despite the suspension of the demonstration, the movement reassures its supporters that the campaign to ensure a swift investigation by the Special Prosecutor into the controversial Air Bus bribery saga will continue without interruption.

"The movement pledges to employ all legal and constitutional means to ensure that the investigation is pursued to its logical conclusion," the statement read.