Airbus Scandal: 'Clearing Agent' Akufo-Addo now has courage to call for probe - Asiedu Nketia

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia wants the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to call for thorough investigations into every case of corruption recorded under his watch, and not only those that allegedly took place during the previous administration.

To him, the sudden interest in the Airbus bribery scandal by the current government as evidenced in the swift call for a probe by the presidency, whiles other equally sordid acts of graft are blatantly ignored, is mind-boggling.

Following news of the Crown Court at Southwark in the United Kingdom's judgement on 31st January, 2020, between the Director of the Serious Fraud Office and Airbus SE, in which the European multinational aerospace corporation was fined $3.9 billion for the payment of bribes to secure deals in five countries, including Ghana, the Office of the President charged the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, to with immediate effect delve into the bottom of the Airbus bribery scandal and investigate the complicity of any public official, "past or present" who may have been involved in the saga.

"....President Akufo-Addo has taken notice of the judgement and its implications, and has referred it to the Office of Special Prosecutor to collaborate with its UK counterparts to conduct a prompt inquiry to determine the complicity or otherwise of any Ghanaian government official, past or present, involved in the said scandal, and to take the necessary legal action against any such official, as required by Ghanaian law," a statement signed by Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin read.

But speaking on Okay FM’s "Ade Akye Abia" Morning Show, General Mosquito, stated that if the president has now found the courage to probe alleged acts of corruption then he should "investigate the Airbus, Air-tricycle, and Air-train all, and make the findings public since corruption has no political color. If some people have committed crimes, they should face the full rigors of the law."

“What interests me is that the President said that he has no authority to order anybody to investigate corruption cases but ended up clearing corrupt appointees; and said it is the responsibility of state institutions to conduct their own investigations. If today, he has shown that he has the wherewithal to order for investigation, then the over 200 missing excavators must be investigated....

“…over 200 excavators have vanished into thin air; if you want something to investigate, he should add this case to the Airbus and do a thorough investigation, including that of the missing tricycles in the 40-footer container," he charged.