Ford Controversy: I can’t tell Mahama he’s corrupt – Greenstreet

Accusing President Mahama and the presidency of being corrupt without evidence is a dishonourable behaviour that all must eschew, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet sermonises.

“I would not denigrate the presidency,” the flagbearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) counselled as he took his turn at the IEA Presidential Encounter series Tuesday evening.

Ivor Greenstreet has been sharing an abridge version of the party’s manifesto for the 2016 general elections, touching briefly on various policies of the party including energy, education, health and economy.

Answering a question on corruption at the presidency, the CPP flagbearer refused to be used as a stooge to pursue other people’s political interest, particularly with regard to President Mahama and his Ford Expedition gift from a Burkinabe contractor.

“I am not an agitator for other people’s political intention,” he said as he condemned the status quo where people who are accused of wrong doing are unfairly tried in the media.

“We have all been witnesses to when a former head of state called a sitting head of state, who is now a former head of state himself Ataa Ayi, an armed robber, a criminal; and here I am wanting to occupy that very office; I refuse to be part of any group of persons who seek to denigrate the individual who occupies that position.”

It is based on this assessment that Mr. Greenstreet affirmed his decision not to accuse President Mahama of any corrupt act without evidence.

“I went to Kumasi and said to the NDC corruption from top to bottom, left to right, inside-out but I will never turn around and point at the president and tell him to his face you are corrupt, unless I have evidence.”

He explained further, “Because I believe there has to be proper evidence, proper investigations and the matter properly looked into before we all start jumping up and down trying to accuse people of a specific thing.”

Nonetheless, he maintained that the CPP is in total support of a national anti-corruption plan.

He therefore stated that the CPP is “totally opposed to corruption at all level; be it petty corruption or at the top”.

With over 80 percent of the national population being Christians and Muslims, Mr. Greenstreet firmly believe if these two religious groups adhere to the Holy Bible or Holy Qu’ran, corruption would not be an issue in the country.