I didn't establish Exim Bank to dole out cash to celebrities - Mahama

Former President of Ghana John Dramani Mahama taken on the current government over what he says is the mismanagement of Exim Bank by doling out cash to celebrities.

According to him, the bank was established under his administration to promote job creation and the promotion of the export of Ghanaian businesses.

However, the current regime according to him, has neglected the core mandate of the Bank and “flagrantly abused” funds on non-core activities to the neglect of the core activities of the bank.

“When I established the Ghana EXIM Bank in 2016, my dream was for the bank to promote exports and creates Jobs. I did not envisage the current lack of transparency in the disbursement and flagrant abuse of the funds of the bank on non-core activities to the neglect of many-core and legitimate business plans, some from many hardworking young Ghanaians,” he said.

But the former President said when he comes back to power he will refocus the bank on its core mandate of promoting Ghanaian businesses for exportation.

He added that the bank, under his regime, will fund agriculture and agribusinesses as well as the digitization of the economy and innovative skills acquisition in ICT.

“I will refocus the operations of the Exim Bank back to its core mandate of promoting Ghanaian businesses for export. The Exim Bank under my watch will, in addition to other funding streams, support agriculture and agribusinesses especially for both the domestic and export market through the creation of agro-production and processing zones in all major crop-producing areas across the country. It will also support the digital economy and fund ICT innovation,” he pledged.

It will be recalled that in September 2020, Member of Parliament for Kumbungu Constituency, Ras Mubarak alleged that the Exim Bank had paid some monies to celebrities ie Shatta Wale and Agya Koo.

Although the Bank admitted to having paid some amount of money to them, they did not clarify the amount paid and said the monies were meant to promote made in Ghana products