Gold Saga: Gov’t answer is sketchy – AFAG

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), fears Ghana could face rigorous economic sanctions from the United Nations over the handling of the matter in which a chartered plane bound for Iran, has been grounded by Turkish officials.

Turkey is holding a cargo plane purported to be carrying 1.5 tons of gold from Ghana to Dubai, reportedly for its failure to present necessary documents.

The Turkish aircraft had landed in Istanbul's Atatürk Airport on January 1 to refuel and change personnel, Turkey's Hurriet daily news reported on Sunday.

President John Mahama has since ordered investigations into the report.

However, AFAG in a release issued on Friday, February 1, 2013, said government’s “sketchy” answer on the issue could make the situation worse.

Read the full statement below:

PRESIDENT MAHAMA’S IRAN GOLD ALBATROSS: THE INCONSISTENCIES OF THE MAHAMA GOVERNMENT Fellow Ghanaians, AFAG is more worried that, after a contested presidential election; at a time when the government of John Mahama is hanging by a shoes string, with the legitimacy of his government being contested in court, President John Mahama would choose to indulge in a murky gold affair with international political and economic dire consequences.

The action of the Mahama government stands to be in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1803 (adopted on 3rd March, 2008) and 1929 (adopted on 9th June, 2010).

Fellow Ghanaians, if our fears come true, a UN economic sanction hangs over our heads because of a decision made by President Mahama. AFAG hopes that, the Mahama government would be straightforward with Ghanaians on this Turkey-Iran gold saga.

Over the past weeks, the impounding of a chartered plane bound for Iran, and purported to originate from Ghana carrying millions of dollars worth of gold, has thrown the nation in a state of uneasiness.

This situation is made worse by the government’s sketchy answer on the issue. AFAG seeks to ask some few questions here; 1. Did the plane originate from Ghana as the flight plan tells us? 2. Since the plane carried no Ghana government official documentation as it was supposed to, who chartered the plane? 3. What is the origin of the gold? 4. Is the Mahama government involved in an illegal gold transaction as the expense of the state or he is allowing Ghana to be used as a transit to circumvent UN sanctions against Iran? 5. Is the Mahama government looting Ghana’s gold reserves for personal use? 6. AFAG wishes to implore the bank of Ghana to inform the nation if the gold in question is part of Ghana‘s gold reserves? 7. The Iranian News Agency claims the gold is Ghana’s financial obligation to Iran. AFAG wishes to know from the Mahama government, how this ‘financial obligation’ came about? Fellow Ghanaians, it seems the inconsistencies which characterized the Mills-Mahama government is starting all over again with this Mahama- Amissah Arthur government. Ghanaians would recall the Cuban scholarship saga, when the Cuban government claimed it was a scholarship whilst the Mahama government claimed it was fee paying! Ghanaians deserve straight answers this time. AFAG would not accept half- truths and silence.

The Mahama-Amissah Arthur government should note that, Ghanaians are waiting for answers. Signed Arnold Boateng Joshua Kyeremateng Mutala Mohamed Baffour Akoto Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie