Be careful how you treat Ibrahim Mahama – Kwesi Pratt warns NPP government

The Akufo-Addo led government has been cautioned to be very careful with how they treat Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President John Mahama and Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners (E&P).

Ibrahim Mahama has been on the receiving end of vicious attacks and intense criticism especially from members of the New Patriotic Party and the general public.

He recently caught heavy flak after his trucks were seized in the Ashanti Region.

Trucks belonging to Engineers and Planners (E&P) company of Ibrahim Mahama were confiscated by the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the Atwima Mponua District Assebly and the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah because they claim their activities were illegal.

E&P were engaged by Exton Cubic Group Limited, a mining company to mine at their Nyinahini Bauxite Concession.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Radio Gold's 'Alhaji and Alhaji', Saturday, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper condemned the attack on Ibrahim Mahama.

According to him, former President John Dramani Mahama is not the only person in Ghana who has relatives doing business in Ghana as President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has family members who are very serious businessmen; one of those is his brother Bomti.

“What is happening to Exton Cubic and Engineers and Planners demonstrate a certain lack of commitment to the private sector . . . Bomti has been doing business like Ibrahim Mahama; infact Ibrahim Mahama has been doing business for so many years before his brother came to power so does Bomti. All my life I have not heard anybody make any allegation against Bomti and his business practices; never. I have not heard anything. Bomti has been doing his business quietly. Nobody has raised a finger against Bomti. Today President Akufo Addo is the president of Ghana. Are we saying his brother’s business must collapse?" he questioned.

"So today if Bomti does any legitimate business with the Akufo-Addo government, is this how he will be treated when Akufo-Addo leaves office? What will happen to his relatives who are doing business and are likely to do business with his administration when he leaves office? Let us be exceedingly careful because what we sow today will germinate tomorrow and it will bear fruits. We should set principles and standards that will be applicable to Ibrahim Mahama, applicable to Bomti . . . applicable to future Presidents and their family members. We must operate on the basis of standards that are properly set; principles which we can uphold at all times. That is the way to go,” Kwesi Pratt advised.