Wikileaks - Akufo-Addo Smokes Marijuana

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It is becoming increasingly obvious that the issue of drug use and arrogance among others are now an albatross that is getting more tightly fixed around the neck of New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the allegations have now formally taken an international dimension. The latest to give credence to the barrage of the damning allegation of drug use against the NPP flagbearer is a newly released declassified wikileaks report by former United States Abbassador to Ghana, Pamela Bridgewater, on the profile of NPP presidential aspirants ahead of the 2008 elections.

The report had this to say about the two-time NPP flagbearer: “Nana Akufo-Addo: An ethnic Akyem from the Eastern Region, Akufo-Addo is a formidable contender for the NPP slot. He is respected for his intelligence, political family background, and broad government experience, which includes tenures as Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is reportedly backed by NPP youth and Akyem businessmen. On the other hand, he has poor organizational skills and often comes across as arrogant and formal, which may not play well with many party activists and Ghanaian voters. His reputation as a womanizer and occasional marijuana smoker may also damage him politically.” At the time the confidential report under the subject ‘GHANA AND THE 2008 ELECTION: PROSPECTS FOR THE RULING NPP’ was written, only eight of the seventeen flagbearer aspirants of the NPP had declared their intention.

Please read the full report below:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 002270 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: 
DECL: 09/25/2016 
TAGS: GH PGOV PINR 
SUBJECT: GHANA AND THE 2008 ELECTION: PROSPECTS FOR THE RULING NPP ACCRA 00002270 001.2 OF 003 
Classified By: PolChief Scott Ticknor for reasons 1.5 d and e. 1. (C) 
Summary: Ghana,s 2008 presidential election is still far away and the ruling New Patriotic Party will not choose its presidential candidate until its scheduled December 2007 convention. Nonetheless, there are already at least twelve contenders for the NPP flag-bearer position, including a number of sitting ministers and the Vice President. This is creating friction within the party, which will only intensify over the coming year. At this point, Vice President Aliu Mahama and Foreign Minister Akufo-Addo are front-runners. The party,s choice of a candidate and its success in managing its internal tensions will be key to its success in 2008. End Summary 2. (U)

There are currently eight declared NPP aspirants: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and NEPAD), Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku (former Minister for Regional Cooperation), Kwame Addo Kufuor (Minister of Defense), Hackman Owusu Agyeman (Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing), Yaw Osafo-Maafo (former Minister for Education, Youth and Sports), Professor Frimpong Boateng (a renowned heart surgeon), Dr. Arthur Kennedy (a medical practitioner and a party activist based in the United States), Effah Dartey (former Chairman of the Narcotics Control Board and Deputy Interior Minister until he was removed in April, 2006), and Kwabena Agyepong (former Presidential spokesperson). Boateng, Kennedy, Dartey and Agyepong have very little following in the party. 3. (SBU) Likely aspirants yet to formally declare their interest include Vice President Aliu Mahama, Communication Minister Professor Mike Ocquaye, and Minister for Trade, Industries, Private Sector Development and Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI) Allan Kyerematen

Profiles of the Main Aspirants

4. (C) The most prominent aspirants are profiled below:

Nana Akufo-Addo: An ethnic Akyem from the Eastern Region, Akufo-Addo is a formidable contender for the NPP slot. He is respected for his intelligence, political family background, and broad government experience, which includes tenures as Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is reportedly backed by NPP youth and Akyem businessmen. On the other hand, he has poor organizational skills and often comes across as arrogant and formal, which may not play well with many party activists and Ghanaian voters. His reputation as a womanizer and occasional marijuana smoker may also damage him politically.

Aliu Mahama: As Vice President, he has the advantage of national name recognition. He is generally seen as likable and has become more visible in the past months, projecting himself as presidential. The fact that he is Muslim on balance will probably hurt his presidential ambitions. (Some contacts doubt that the majority Christian population is prepared to select a Muslim candidate, and Aliu is unpopular even within some elements of the Muslim community.) Although a northerner, his support in the northern heartland remains weak because of discontent among unemployed youth, persistent poverty in the north, and a perception that he did little to resolve the long-standing Dagbon chieftaincy dispute. Aliu is isolated within his party and is seen by some as unable to control senior presidential staff. He is not identifiably linked to any major achievement in the NPP and so far lacks the requisite handlers and core advisors to manage a presidential campaign. Aliu flirts with Iran and hopes Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will help generate campaign resources

Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku: A Ph.D. economist, Apraku was an economic spokesman while in opposition but was seen as a weak Trade and Industry Minister and later Regional Cooperation and NEPAD Minister in Kufuor,s cabinet. Kufuor dropped him in the April/May Cabinet reshuffle. He is an NPP loyalist but lacks substantial support within the party.

Kwame Addo Kufuor: Defense Minister and younger brother of President Kufuor, he has abundant resources, broad technical experience, and the support of key Ashanti businesses. His sponsors hope for a coalition with a northerner or Ewe as a running mate. However, many in the NPP are concerned that selection of the president's brother and another Ashanti would leave the party vulnerable to accusations of cronyism and ethnic bias.

Yaw Osafo-Maafo: A former Minister for Education, Youth and Sports and a former Finance Minister, he has a reputation for leadership. He is credited with helping revive the economy and restoring macroeconomic stability soon after succeeding the NDC. He gained kudos when as Education and Sports Minister the national soccer team, the Black Stars, qualified for the World Cup. He has substantial wealth to support a presidential campaign. Nonetheless, his involvement in corruption and his open ambitions cost him his position in the April 2006 cabinet re-shuffle and could hurt his race for the party ticket. His campaign seems to have lost some steam in recent weeks.

Hackman Owusu Agyeman: a tough party operator with a power base in the Eastern Region, he is a founding member of the NPP party and has held several important party positions. He entered parliament in 1997 and served as the party,s Ranking Member for Foreign Affairs. His biggest strength is his extensive experience. He has been in cabinet since the beginning of the Kufuor era, first as Foreign Minister, later as Interior Minister, and currently as Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing. Working against his candidacy are his Ashanti roots (his supporters refer to him as a Juaben, but he is technically Ashanti) and his prickly, sometimes belligerent and elitist personality.

Allan Kyerematen: A respected, popular technocrat and Trade Minister, he is seen as a moderate and a rising star of the party. He gained respect as former Ambassador to the United States and as the originator of the President's Special Initiatives (PSI) concept. He is gradually building a base within the Central and Western regions and is a close ally of party chairman, Peter Mac Manu, Education, Science and Sports Minister, Papa Owusu Ankomah, and Attorney General Joe Ghartey. He may have difficulty because of his Ashanti ties (his mother is Ashanti and his father Fanti). He also lacks electoral experience and has faced criticism for the lackluster performance of the PSI.

Main Factors Influencing the Decision

5. (SBU) Personal Traits: the NPP will want a candidate with broad popular appeal. This may favor Aliu and Kyerematen. To a lesser extent, it may also help Akufo-Addo because of his polished, intellectual image.

6. (C) Kufuor,s Role: President Kufuor publicly remains impartial among the various contenders, conscious that any favoritism at this time (especially toward an Ashanti) would undermine party unity. Although some in the NPP resented Kufuor's attempts to impact the selection of party chairman last year, Kufuor will eventually have an important, low-key influence on the party's choice of presidential candidate. Some contacts are convinced that Kufuor privately favors Alan Kyerematen. PNC leader Edward Mahama agrees with this, recently telling Ambassador that the Asantahene (an important power broker in the NPP and close to Kufuor) dislikes Akufo-Addo because of his ties to a rival traditional leader.

7. (C) Ethnic and Regional Balance: The NPP will probably seek a shift from its main power base in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions to the Eastern Region, its second traditional support base. Rivalry between Ashantis and Akyems have undermined unity in the NPP and its predecessors, costing them victory in the 1979 election. The party may therefore favor Akyems to counterbalance its current Ashanti leanings. This may benefit Nana Akufo Addo, Yaw Osafo Maafo and Hackman Owusu Agyeman ) all from the Eastern Region (the first two are Akyems). Some observers, however, believe that the NPP will focus on appealing to the key swing Central, Greater Accra and Western regions. This may favor Kyerematen or a possible dark horse of the likes of Minister of Education Papa Owusu-Ankomah (who reportedly is exploring a candidacy).

Comment

8. (SBU) The NPP,s success in influencing upcoming District Assembly elections and in winning parliamentary by-elections will also impact its decision about a presidential candidate. NPP leaders will also weigh the nature of the opposition (reported septel) and the national mood. The party,s ultimate electoral success will depend on many factors, including the GOG,s ability to translate economic success into poverty reduction and to manage perceptions of growing corruption.

9. (C) We can expect heightened friction within the NPP and the government over the coming year, with the likelihood that some NPP candidates will eventually break from the party to form their own parties, join the nascent Democratic Freedom Party, or run as independents. How this plays out will be a major factor in the NDC,s prospects. As one media contact, told PolChief, the NDC,s chances in 2008 depend to a significant extent on &the level of NPP self-destruction. BRIDGEWATER

Wikileaks gives a peek into Francis Poku's dismissal

From: Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana          Last Updated: September 5, 2011, 10:00 am

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Francis Poku, former National Security Coordinator Whistle-blower website, Wikileaks, has given what appears to be the clearest explanation yet to the circumstances leading to the sacking of former National Security Coordinator and later Minister, Mr Francis Poku. Mr. Poku’s sacking on January 12, 2008 generated intense debate and controversy, culminating in the once strong man being put under house arrest and undergoing forced debriefing. Sections of the public demanded an explanation from then President John Kufuor for Mr Poku’s dismissal, however then Majority Leader Abraham Ossei Aidoo dismissed the demands insisting "The President is under no obligation to give reasons to anybody, and I stress he is under no obligation to give reasons to anybody, it is his right and the Constitution backs him, period! The call in the media and some personal interactions by personalities who impressed upon the President to give reasons or reinstate the ex-minister is unnecessary and a waste of national efforts and time. He who hires can fire, and it is normal everywhere in the world." Leaked diplomatic cables by the US Embassy in Accra say the former minister was fired for insubordination. “On January 12, President Kufuor fired Minister of National Security Francis Poku, who had served as Ghana's National Security Coordinator since 2002 and Minister of National Security since 2006. According to sources, the final straw in the tense relationship between Kufuor and Poku was Poku's sending Brigadier Saki, head of Ghana Military Intelligence, to Israel in December 2007 on a liaison trip, unbeknownst to Kufuor. Following this trip, Saki prepared a trip report which ended up in the hands of J.K. Mensah, the Director of the Research Department at the MFA. Mensah, who allegedly felt passed over in 2006 when Poku was appointed Minister, shared the report with Kufuor. Kufuor, according to sources, was upset about the trip to Israel because Poku had not informed him about it. Calling Poku to task on Saturday morning in front of Yaw Gyimah, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Frank Adu Poku, Head of Ghana Police's Criminal Investigations Department, Kufuor asked Poku why he had not been informed of the mission to Israel. Poku allegedly told Kufuor that he was ‘on a need to know basis’ and that the mission was part of his duties as Minister. Kufuor became more upset with Poku after these statements and asked for his resignation. When Poku refused to resign, Kufuor sacked him,” the leaked cable said. In her comment, then US Ambassador, Pamela Bridgewater, said Mr “Poku generated many enemies during his time as Minister. Mensah, of the MFA, felt passed over when Poku was named Minister in 2006. The Ghana Police had their own problems with Poku as did the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI). Kufuor was also allegedly upset with Poku for his failure to share full details of BNI's election polling which could have potentially informed Kufuor earlier about Alan Kyerematen's lack of popular support. According to the leaks, Kufuor was surprised and embarrassed when Kyerematen lost the New Patriotic Party (NPP) nomination in December 2007, according to sources. Poku's favourite for the NPP nomination was former Finance Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo. "It is unclear at this point who will succeed Poku as Minister although both Dr. Sam Amoo, the current National Security Coordinator and J.K. Mensah at the MFA have been suggested as possible replacements. It is also quite possible that the position, only created in 2006, could remain empty for Kufuor's final year in office. It is too early to tell what effect Poku's sacking will have on the GOG, however we expect security cooperation to remain strong...”

Joe Gidisu for court over luxury Chinese BMW

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Roads and Highways Minister Joe Gidisu Roads Minister Joe Gidisu is considering going to court over reports he has received a luxury BMW saloon car from a Chinese construction firm working on the Achimota-Ofankor highway. The vehicle has been widely reported as a gift which President Atta Mills has ordered him to surrender to government, but Mr. Gidisu maintains he handed it over to the Castle voluntarily. Mr Gidisu however insists the luxury car was not for his personal use. “It is a project vehicle bought on a project account which is usual with the ministry and other ministries that run projects,” he said. “I mean that car was never a gift to me as Joe Gidisu in office as Minister for Roads and Highways. It was a car bought by an agency under the ministry, that is, the Ghana Highways Authority where we have documents covering the request and the delivery of the vehicle to the Ghana Highways Authority on behalf of the ministry.” “The car is for the office use of the ministry for the state minister and it is not peculiar to the Ghana Highways Authority nor the Ministry of Roads and Highways,” he indicated. Mr Gidisu says he’s conferring with his legal team to decide his next line of action. “I am referring the case to my legal advisors for the necessary action. I’m never the type who should be associated with such a bill,” he said. Conflict of interest A road contractor Osamanu Guarantee believes the vehicle was a bribe. “Immediately such item is being given to a minister then there is a conflict of interest in the contractor,” he indicated. He said it was wrong for the minister to have received the vehicle which appears to be denting the reputation of the minister. “There shouldn’t be any vehicle whatsoever between the contractor and the minister let alone for it to be a luxurious vehicle…I think in this case the minister should have rejected the vehicle outright to set as an example to other ministries.” “If they are putting it…as a contract vehicle or a project vehicle then I’m sorry to say the minister has got nothing directly to do with the contractor,” he indicated. He said “contract vehicles” and “project vehicles” are “only terminologies used to cover up such conflict of interest.”

Wikileaks: Rawlings was on drugs

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Jerry John Rawlings Latest publication by the International whistle blowing website wikileaks indicates ex-president Jerry John Rawlings was on drugs. The August 31 publication also described then Finance Minister under his (Rawlings) administration as incompetent. Titled “a close look at Ghana’s ex-president Rawlings” with “REF: ACCRA 01142” the publication chronicled what it says are detailed interaction between then departing Ambassador for the Netherlands Hein Princen and Ghana’s ex-president. The former Ambassador, according to the publication spent a week-end with the Rawlingses at the latter’s “modest but comfortable presidential yacht anchored in Volta Lake” during which his spouse, who is a social worker saw “incontrovertible evidence of drug use by the president.” Bullet three of the publication stated: “Ambassador Princen's wife concluded emphatically that Rawlings is a drug-user. Periods of high-level energizing were followed by Rawlings' disappearance for thirty minutes, and upon his return he was subdued and even mellow. He perspired profusely at short notice, and consumed large quantities of non-alcoholic drinks. Princen reinforced my own impression that Rawlings' attention span has shortened of late. But the Princens found the president open, indulgent towards his children, and extremely deferential - even obsequious - towards his spouse. The tenor of their conversation reinforced the widespread impression that they see each other only in public or in the context of this retreat to lake Volta. (Rawlings said this was the first family gathering this year.) Rawlings watched videos, listened to music, and chatted up his guests simultaneously. Princen noticed what all of us observe as interlocutors: Rawlings' incredible inability to recall names, even those of advisers constantly at his elbow.” According to the publication, Rawlings’ tendency to overreact stripped him of many confidants. The publication also quoted what it says were impressions by visitors of the World Bank and the IMF that President Rawlings “seems profoundly uninformed on economic matters, even as his minister of finance is seen by financial experts inside and outside ghana as alarmingly incompetent.” “According to princen the only sustained substantive discussion focused on ghana's current economic problems. princen was intrigued to see rawlings nodding in assent at aidoo's pronouncement that high inflation was caused by irresponsible elements in the private sector, and that the private sector should find a solution. aidoo also fed rawlings the notion that the north carolina summit on ghana's competitiveness in the global marketplace was a camouflaged attack on rawlings' national democratic congress. princen remonstrated, but he thought with limited effect. princen did gain rawlings' attention by registering impressions circulating in accra that the world bank and imf are increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of both the incumbent minister of finance pepprah and the larger economic policies of the post-december government. rawlings responded by lashing out at members of his own government - some were cited by name - who deliberately conceal problems from his attention. rawlings built up a head of steam on the ghana electrical commission's announcement two weeks ago that rates would rise up to 300, retroactive to may 1; this was designed to destabilize his government, he thought. the larger impression, however, was that president rawlings was not well informed of recent unsettling economic trends," the publication noted. This is the second publication by wikileaks on Ghana. In the first publication, which was also on drugs, ex-president John Kufuor’s New Patriotic Party was said to have done very little whilst the drugs trade flourished in the country. Ghana’s exit and entry points were loosely guarded which provided the opportunity for couriers to trade. In the same publication the sitting president John Mills was also quoted to have said that some of his government officials may have been compromised by the drug lords. http://wikileaks.org/cable/1997/07/97ACCRA4941.html

STX Boardroom Crisis: Bagbin denies fighting John Mahama

Hon Alban Bagbin

The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has issued a statement in Accra to reinforce an earlier press release in which Vice President John Dramani Mahama denied media reports that he recently fought with the former Majority Leader over the crisis-ridden STX Housing deal. 

In the Statement, Hon Bagbin said: “My attention has been drawn to snatches of recent press reports and commentary to the effect that there has been an altercation between H.E. the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama and myself at the Castle regarding the National Housing Project.”

The NDC Member of Parliament for Nadowli West said his initial “intention” was to ignore this “piece of totally wild and reckless gossip with further commentary. However, I have had to revise my stand because less discerning people may be misled into believing this calculated falsehood.”

The statement, issued August 30, 2011, added, “For the avoidance of doubt and for the records therefore, I wish to clearly state that in my capacity as Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, my relationship with H.E. the Vice President and his High Office, both at the personal and official levels, is at an all-time high; and I do proudly enjoy his incredible support, goodwill and very active collaboration in everything, including the National Housing Project.”

It added: “I wish to take advantage of this release to put to rest and to unreservedly condemn this malicious piece of false journalism. I also want to reassure, especially all my friends, well wishers and discerning Ghanaians who have all rightly been scandalized by this report, that no such incident occurred, or has ever occurred between H.E. the Vice President and myself.

It comes days after the office of the Vice President issued a similar statement after widespread news reports claimed late last week that the two men had fought at a meeting to discuss the boardroom crisis facing the STX deal, under which STX Engineering and Construction Ghana Limited is contract bound to build some 30,000 Housing units for Ghana’s security personnel. 

The Vice President’s statement also described as false an earlier claim that the former Bole Bamboi MP “pulled a gun on former President, JJ Rawlings at the Castle.”

It added: “Every Ghanaian knows and appreciates his tolerance and patience and it is not in his character to engage in verbal or physical exchanges with any person.

“... John Mahama has chaired, on behalf of the President, various government meetings on helping clear the country’s housing deficit and also reviewed the wrangling among the partners working on the Ghana Housing Project. None of these meetings has recorded any of the false news reports.”

Citifmonline.com/Ghana

EC sued over biometric register

One of the disqualified bidders to provide appropriate technology for the proposed biometric voter registration exercise has filed a suit in court to restrain the Electoral Commission from awarding the contract.

The register is expected to be used for next year’s crucial presidential and parliamentary polls to check electoral fraud and remove any doubts about the authenticity of votes cast.

Lawyers for Intelligence Card Production Systems say they have two main grounds for the court action. The first is that the Electoral Commission allegedly swelled-up pre-qualified companies who entered their bids to secure the multi-million cedi contract to seven when, according to the lawyers, the Procurement Law calls for six pre-qualified bidders.

The second basis for the company’s court action is that the Public Procurement Authority has in a formal letter directed the Electoral Commission not to proceed with the award of the contract for the production of the register, but the Commission appears to have ignored the directive.

The acting Director of Public Affairs of the EC, Christian Owusu-Parry, confirmed receipt of the restraining order on the Citi Eyewitness News of Tuesday August 30, 2011.

Representatives of all political parties in the country had earlier stormed out of a meeting with officials of the EC meant to assess the technology to be used for the Biometric Voters Register

Speaking to Citi News, the Member of Parliament for the Manhyia Constituency, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh who represented the NPP said all the political parties (NDC, NPP, CPP, DFP, GCPP) decided in principle to walk out of the meeting because they were unimpressed with the EC’s processes for selecting the companies to provide the technology to capture the data of qualified voters in the country. If completed in time, the data could be used in the 2012 general elections.

Mathew Opoku Prempeh said the EC failed to involve the parties in the selection of the two shortlisted companies and the parties refused to give their approval to the Electoral Commission’s decision to procure vendors for the biometric registration of Ghanaians without going through due process.

The Manhyia MP said they were further angered when the EC asked the party representatives to sign an undertaking that they were only going to be observers and could not make any comment on the evaluation process of the companies bidding to provide the service.

According to him, there are only five companies certified in the world to undertake registration for biometric voting in countries of over 10 million people and the inability of the EC to provide basic answers to questions such as the certification for the companies selected to undertake the project to enable verification by the various political parties was unacceptable.


Source: citifmonline

Minister's Luxury BMW impounded by Castle

BMW saloon car cost a total amount (Price + VAT) = $166,000

Source: Republic newspaper

Information picked by the Republic newspaper reveals how the President, John Evans Atta Mills cracked the whip on Minister Joe Gidisu, Minister for Road and Highways and Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Tongu constituency to disrupt the Minister’s fast growing taste for luxuries.

The revelation, the Republic learnt, has become the latest gossip in parliament and has made the minister a laughing stock among his colleagues even as he schemes to regain the confidence of the president.

Barely three weeks ago, a brand new BMW saloon car, 740LI-2010 model was pulled out from Hon. Joe Gidisu’s residence by Security agents to a destination in the castle under the orders of the president.

The splashy top of the class BMW, with Imperial Blue color manufactured in 2010 landed in Ghana on January 19 2011 and cleared by Mechanical Lloyd Co Ltd according to documents sighted by The Republic.

The car in question was even more expensive than the Presidents official car.

Investigations by the Republic revealed that the posh saloon car was purchased under the orders of the Minister of Roads and Highways, Hon Joe Gidisu for his own comfort in an apparent disregard to President Mills’ austerity principles.

President Mills is Known and revered for his modesty and anti-profligacy. According to deep-throat source at the Ministry, Hon. Joe Gidisu took advantage of a governmental convention which requires ministries to provide vehicles for the use of their Ministers and instructed the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) an agency under his ministry to acquire the classy machine.

A letter dated 2nd August 2011 States “subsequent to the decision for the Ministries to provide for the use of their Ministers, the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA) was requested to arrange and purchase a saloon car on one of their ongoing road Construction projects”.

The letter signed by Minister Joe Gidisu and which was alleged to have been forged continued; “the Ghana Highways Authority by a letter dated 19th May 2010 requested the Resident Engineer on the Achimota-Ofankor road project to arrange for the purchase. However, I found the type of vehicle purchased not very appropriate for my use” stated the minister, in an attempt to cover his embarrassing ass.

Sources said that it was when the Minister got reprimanded by the President for his untenable behavior that he ran to write the letter.

Available documents indicates that the vehicle was purchased by the contractor working on the Achimota-Ofankor project, China Railway Wuju (Group) corporation on behalf of the Ghana Highways Authority by the whims and fancies of the Hon Minister of roads and highways.

The BMW saloon car cost a total amount of $166.978.47 with a one year comprehensive insurance at an extra rate of $6,672.71 and to be borne by the state for the leisure of Joe Gidisu.

It is alleged that when the NDC came to power, after it defeated the corrupt NPP government, there was pressure on Minister Joe Gidisu to review the contract which was entered into by the previews government with the Chinese company following suspicion that there may have been exaggeration in the contract sum. Joe Gidisu, according to our deep-throat source, however ignored suggestions in this direction and rather chose t oseek his own comfort at the expense of Ghanaians.

The deal which was facilitated through the Mechanical Lloyd Company Limited an Accra based automobile company has according to sources been confiscated by the National Security Apparatus and now taking solace within the confines of the castle, the seat of government.

In a document sighted by the Republic addressed to the Engineer’s representative by the Deputy Project Manager of AO Road Project, Zou Man Yang the contractor claim the total amount of $166.978.47 (One Hundred and Sixty Six Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy Eight U.S Dollar and Forty seven Cent) to be paid back in the our IPC from items A221.1 and A221.2 of Box in the contract. Copies of official receipts on the alleged deal involving the Minister of Roads and Highways Hon. Joe Gidisu through his agent at Mechanical Lloyd and later insured at the Phoenix Insurance Company Ltd for a year gave the following specifications on the BMW 740Li as follows;

• Chassis number WBAKB41070C633051
• base price $139.396.31
• VAT $17,424.54
• NHIL $3,484.91
• Total Invoice Value $160.305.76

Please stay tuned as more revelations unfold.