Controversy over Mahama 'car gift' needless - George Loh

Europa 10:48 - 16 June 2016

John Mahama

Some sections of Ghanaians have expressed anger over reports that President Mahama was given a brand new Ford Expedition in 2012 by a Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe who won the bid to construct the $650,000 Ghana Embassy Wall in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou.

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for North Dayi has said the controversy surrounding a 'car gift' given to President John Mahama is needless.

According to George Loh, presidents receiving gifts is very normal in the country’s body politic.

Many anti-corruption campaigners have slammed the president for what they describe as his disregard for the guidelines on conflict of interest in accepting the vehicle gift.

However, Government in a statement issued by Communications Minister, Edward Omane Boamah said even though the car was received, it had nothing to do with the contract awarded.

Commenting on the matter on Accra-based Adom FM, the Member of Parliament for North Dayi, George Loh said Ghanaians are just creating “a storm in a tea cup”.

“Former presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings all received gifts so should we say they also awarded contracts?” he asked.

He stressed that the car was a “gift not bribe”.

“If he [Mahama] had taken the car and registered it as the property of John Dramani Mahama but having received the car and given it to the state, I think we are creating a storm in a tea cup”, George Loh added.