‘Gifting’ Ghana’s Bauxite to your brother is 'State Capture' – Govt replies Mahama

Government has rejected claims by former President John Dramani Mahama that it perpetrated fraud on Ghanaians through the so-called “self-serving decisions that were taken” with regards to the PDS deal.

Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 Fm, Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah argued government’s clean motive and competence has rather saved the mess that was hitherto building up vis a vis the PDS/ECG concession agreement.

Former President John Mahama on Wednesday berated the Akufo-Addo government over the cancellation of the $190 million second tranche of the power compact by the Unites States government.

“The MCC to withdraw $190m of the funding amount is a sad day for us, this amount was meant to improve the efficiency of our electricity utility corporation. Let me emphasize that these shady happenings were absolutely avoidable with the right decisions and the future development of Ghana in mind and not parochial decision which reflects the sad and worsening situation of state capture that we’re increasingly experiencing under the Akufo Addo administration.”

Reacting to these claims on Kasapa 102.5 FM, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the former leader has become increasingly partisan with national issues.

According to him, the worsening situation of state capture was rather seen under his regime where he dashed his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, 60 per cent of Ghana’s bauxite deposit.

“It’s the same bauxite deposit which a slice of it has today helped in putting Ghanaian children through the second-cycle education under Akufo-Addo. You were keen on giving it to your brother alone to the detriment of the interest of the nation."

"That is a typical state capture situation one can refer to not the PDS situation,” the Information Minister told host Kweku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa.