Missing helicopters plot to denigrate NDC – Jinapor

The former deputy Minister for Power, John Jinapor, believes opponents of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are deliberately behind the saga of the missing three helicopters to make the party unpopular.

Speaking in an interview with Morning Starr host Francis Abban on Wednesday, Mr. Jinapor said critics of former president John Mahama are bent on “denigrating him” but their scheme will not wash.

Reports had indicated that three helicopters for Ghana Gas Company purchased at a cost of 150 million dollars by the previous administration are missing and cannot be traced.

The co-chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI), Dr. Steve Manteaw who is also a member of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) said “sources close to Ghana Gas revealed that indeed the helicopters were bought and that they are being kept somewhere” adding “and I’m not too sure where…”

He continued that “so it is early days yet to conclude that they are missing and that for now we just couldn’t find them at the project but it does not mean that they are missing. So we just need to find out where they are and in which condition and shape they are in now.”

Jinapor has rubbished the claims

“For the management to say they cannot locate the helicopters, it is unfortunate,” the former deputy power minister noted.

He stressed that the choppers are being managed by the Ghana Air Force because the Ghana Gas does not have the expertise to run it.