The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has initiated a preliminary investigation into the controversial Ford expedition gift to President John Dramani Mahama.
The probe follows a petition to the Commission by the Youth League of the Convention People’s Party (CPP)in June this year entreating the former to investigate the President for accepting the vehicle valued at US$ 100,000 from a Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe.
Commander Hardi Yakubu, the leader of the Youth League in the petition argued that the president’s conduct was a clear case of conflict of interest and that a formal investigation should be instituted to dig deeper.
An investigation by journalist Manasseh Azure revealed that Mr. Kanazoe in 2012, dashed President Mahama a brand new Ford Expedition, 2010 model with engine number E173A1905101 and Chassis number 1FMJUIJ58aEB748, and in the same year, earned two juicy contracts from the government.
The contracts won by Mr. Kanazoe as a result of his magnanimity include; the fencing of the Ghana Embassy wall in Burkina Faso at a cost of $650,000 and also the construction of part of the Eastern Corridor Road Project.
Reacting to the allegation, the government through its communication outlet confirmed President Mahama’s receipt of the said vehicle. But it had been added to the pool of luxurious vehicles at the presidency.
It however, denied the act as bribery or conflict of interest.
“The inference of conflict of interest is, therefore, absolutely false and untenable,” Dr. Omane Boamah said. The President also described the bribery claim against him as baseless.
But the Head of Public Relations and Communications at CHRAJ, Comfort Akosua Edu, said the Commission has commenced probe into the saga and that the outcome of its initial investigation would determine its next line of action.
“We did an initial assessment of the petition to find out whether it fall under CHRAJ’s investigative mandate [then] the commissioners appointed some investigators to do the preliminary investigations into the matter and that is where at the moment,” she told Accra-based Citi FM Monday.
By: Citi FM
