Politics of Friday, 17 June 2016

Source: Rashid obodai Provencal

We have not decided to impeach Mahama - Minority

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader in Parliament Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader in Parliament

Minority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has stated that they have not decided to impeach President Mahama over his controversial ford expedition vehicle presented to him by Burkinabe contractor Djibril Kanazoe in 2012, as reported in the media.

In a recent investigative piece by Joy FM's Mannaseh Azure, the said contractor revealed that he gave president John Mahama the luxury vehicle as a gift.

Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana states, “A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office.”

"This constitutional provision has informed a new bill, Conduct of Public Officers Bill, 2013, presented by cabinet to Parliament.

"According to Section 21 (b) a public officer many not “accept a gift, favour or an advantage that has the potential to influence the proper discharge of the public officer’s functions or judgment, from a person with whom the public officer comes into contact in relation to the public officer’s functions”.

In view of this, some lawyers have called for the impeachment of President Mahama on the premix that, he has breached the constitution. Some section of the media reported that the Minority in Parliament have decided to impeach President Mahama.

But speaking in an interview with Kwabena Agyapong on Rainbow Radio's morning show, Frontline said, "We have not taken the decision to impeach President Mahama yet. We are also conducting our personal investigations and so far, we can say that the revelation by Mannaseh Azuri has affirmed our findings. But as i speak to you now, we have not decided to impeach the President. We are still investigating the matter and impeaching the President will be one of the avenues will consider. We have so many options available to us and when we are able to gather enough evidence, we will choose from the avenues available to us.''

Mr Kyei Osei Mensah Bonsu, stressed, they have not spoken with anyone on whether to impeach Mahama.

He also spoke against the equalization of a Benz gift presented to former President Kufour by the late Libyan President Muhammed Gadafi, the legislator said "going forward this not a question of equalization but a question of improving our democratic governance. Equalizing Mahama's Ford and Kufour's Benz is inconsequential."