Airbus scandal an example of the West ‘screwing’ poor countries like Ghana – Gabby

Cousin of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has lamented how the West takes advantage of countries such as Ghana by benefiting from bribery-induced contracts and also from huge fines when the corruption is exposed while the countries that are the victims, get nothing.

His comments come on the back of a deferred prosecution agreement between Airbus SE and the UK, US and France to the effect that Airbus SE will pay €3.6 to them for paying bribes in order to secure lucrative contracts in other countries. Instructively these other countries including Ghana will get nothing from the huge fines.

This occurrence, Mr Asare Otchere-Darko, explains is how the West benefits both from the taxes from the contracts and fines in case of any wrongdoing.

Mr Asare Otchere-Darko explained that: “This is how we get screwed over and over by the West and without any “protection” even when there is a settlement to be shared.

Airbus agreed to a deal with anti-fraud authorities in 3 western countries that will see it paying out €3.6bn ($4bn) to France, USA and UK to end a 4-yr probe in which the plane manufacturer admitted to bribing for contracts. Indeed the boss of the SFO in UK, which struck a €1bn deal that was approved by a London High Court, has hailed the fine as a “very good win for the [UK] taxpayer.” Indeed!

Ironically, the western country whose multinational company paid the bribes to secure such lucrative (inflated) contracts in countries like ours win double through the taxes from these lucrative (inflated) contracts ones secured and the huge fines from the corrupt contracts once exposed.

Meanwhile, purchaser countries like Ghana, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, etc. whose taxpayers actually directly suffered by reason of impliedly inflated costs of the aircraft get nothing! Of course, we will get their diplomats to preach to us!”

President Akufo-Addo has referred the Airbus scandal in which some Ghanaians including a government official were allegedly involved to the Office of the Special Prosecutor for investigations.