Nana Kwadwo Agyei Yeboah, an aspiring national organiser for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who is popularly known as Nana Kay, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama regarding the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ decision to grant the Damang Mining lease to Engineers and Planners (E&P), a firm owned by the president’s brother, Ibrahim Mahama.
Nana Kay argued that this development suggests President Mahama’s second term is being used to amass wealth for himself and his family.
In his view, there are several equally capable companies that could have been awarded the lease. He further claimed that the selection process was skewed to favour engineers and planners specifically because of the owner’s familial ties to the president.
Engineers and Planners Company Limited, a local mining services provider, was recently chosen to take over operations at the Damang Mine in the Western Region.
This decision followed a recommendation from a tender committee, which oversaw a bidding process where E&P emerged as the preferred candidate among four local entities.
The other companies that submitted bids included Heath Goldfields Ltd, Maripoma Mining Services Ltd, and Vortex Resources Mining Group.
Sharing his views on the programme Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Nana Kay described the arrangement as a form of state capture by the president and his relatives.
He lamented that this is not an isolated incident, asserting that E&P is not the only company with the capacity to manage such significant contracts.
Regarding the matter, Nana Kay remarked that “we are appealing to President Mahama to stop awarding all state contracts to his brother.” He is not the only capable person to win contracts in Ghana. He won this mining lease because his brother is president. People are claiming that this went through competitive bidding, but that was a sham and a flawed process.”
He proceeded to suggest that in more rigorous jurisdictions, the president would have faced impeachment for awarding the nation’s most lucrative contracts to a family member.
“If Ghana were a serious country, President Mahama would have been impeached on this,” he stated. “All the juicy contracts in Ghana have been awarded to the president’s brother. He bought his first private jet when his brother was the president in his first term. He has bought his second private jet while his brother is in his second term. I don’t hate Ibrahim Mahama, but what is happening is terrible and it must stop.”
Nana Kay concluded by stating that Ghanaians are becoming increasingly frustrated and may soon regret their support for the president, as he has seemingly failed to uphold his promise to avoid “family and friends” governance.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana