Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has stated that the government has commenced efforts to get the country’s share of the Airbus compensation repatriated to Ghana.
He reveals the state has since June this year, engaged with an international law firm to help Ghana to repatriate its share of the fines.
According to the Minister, the government is aware of a some $3.9 billion in fines imposed on Airbus by the joint justice systems of France, the UK and the US.
“Government is aware that out of the $3.9 billion in fines imposed on Airbus, some $30 million relates to actions taken in Ghana.”
Official documents from a joint three-country investigation on the Airbus scandal have shown that Ghanaian parties involved in the affair received millions of Euros in bribe money.
The deal took place between 2009 and 2015, during the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration under former president John Mahama.
“Government is aware that out of the $3.9 billion in fines imposed on Airbus, some $30 million relates to actions taken in Ghana.”
He added: “the government has “since June, this year, been engaging with an international law firm that has got extensive experience in investigations and anti-corruption [related to international transactions] to see how they can best assist Ghana to repatriate our share of the fines, which can be put to good use.”
“There is history and precedence the world over, other countries that have succeeded in getting a repatriation of parts of international fines or damages [include] the United States and Kyrgystan.”
“We are optimistic that working through this channel [the law firm], we believe that we will be able to at least retrieve the $30 million component that accrues to Ghana, repatriated to Ghana so that we can put to good use in enhancing our anti-corruption institutions.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com
