Opinions of Wednesday, 14 January 2015

Columnist: Mohammed, Alhaji Suraju Musah

Editorial-Mahama’s family must stop grabbing state properties

The New Free Press calls on all Ghanaians to resist the wanton acquisition of state properties by the family members of President John Mahama without due process. We are very much concerned that family members namely his wife Lordina Mahama and his brother , the secretive Peter Mahama are acquiring prime government land which has been earmarked for housing and agricultural projects for the people of Ghana.
Our checks which have been confirmed by our source at the Greater Accra Regional lands secretariat of the lands commission show Mrs Lordina Mahama, wife of the president has bought 40 plots of government land around the trade fair site. Mr Peter Mahama ,the president ‘s brother ,has bought 100 plots of the Agric extension land belonging to the University of Ghana around Armanhia, a suburb of Accra.
We are also reliably informed from sources at the State Enterprises Commission that The Eredec Hotel in Koforidua, which is on the state divestiture list has been earmarked to be sold to Ibrahim Mahama, The CEO of Engineers and Planners and brother of the President after the President gave instructions for companies on the DIC list to be sold quickly early last year. We learn that ECOBANK and United Bank of Africa(UBA) led a consortium and were first to put in a bid to purchase. However a letter we have sighted dated 26th of November,2013 from the office of the President gave instructions for Eredec Hotel not to be sold to ECOBANK and UBA!
We are gravely concerned by the actions of the Presidents closest family members. We call on President Mahama to deeply reflect on what is happening and put a stop to this reckless grabbing of state assets by his family members.
Alhaji Suraju Musah Mohammed
Managing Editor
New Free Press
Abavana Down
Kotobabi
Accra Tel-0209457890/0202122111