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Ghana gov't refutes bribery allegation against president Mahama

Xinhua, June 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Ghanaian government refuted allegations Wednesday of a car gift to President John Dramani Mahama by a Burkina Faso construction firm.

A statement issued by the Minister of Communications, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, stated that the vehicle was, as per established convention, converted to state use.

"The said vehicle, which was placed in the vehicle pool at the Presidency as per established convention had nothing to do with the award of contracts," the statement asserted.

A local radio station broadcast early Wednesday that Burkina Faso construction firm, Kanazoe Freres, had given a car gift to the president of Ghana in 2012.

The construction firm had in 2011 been awarded a contract to build a 673 meters fence wall for Ghana's embassy in Burkina Faso, while also winning the bid to execute a European Union-funded road project in Ghana subsequently.

The news item sought to impugn conflict of interest on the part of the president, suggesting that the car may have influenced the award of contracts to the company.

Concerning the contract in Burkina Faso, which happened before the assumption of office by Mahama, Omane Boamah stated that Ghana's mission in Burkina Faso forwarded three quotations from construction companies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for consideration.

"The Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) provided pre- and post-contract consultancy services in terms of architectural, structural, land surveying, quantity surveying services, leading to preparation of technical specification, bills of quantities and tender documents, evaluation of tenders, award of contract and supervision of selected contractor to execute the construction works," he averred.

According to him, Kanazoe Freres, which presented the lowest quotation, won the contract after due diligence was carried out.

Concerning the 46.4 km European Union-funded road project, the minister noted that the contract was the result of an international competitive bidding process which was in compliance with laid down requirements of the European Union.

"There was absolutely no involvement of the president in the processes leading to the award of this contract," he stressed.

He added: "The president remains committed to transparency and accountability in governance and has worked over the past years to make that a cornerstone of his administration. That commitment is unwavering." Endit