Opinions of Thursday, 2 August 2018

Columnist: Aisha E. Badu

The elephants are wrestling for their cut and Mytilineos is not playing ball

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Okay people please get your lies straight. You started off by saying that Mytilineos was the same entity as Ameri. Since that didn’t stick you’re saying it belongs to Ibrahim Mahama. Mytilineos has operated in Ghana since 2015 and they have never worked with Ibrahim or his company, Engineers &Planners.

I guess the big boys and girls think we are stupid. Ghana, take a few seconds out of your day and search for Mytilineos Holdings. They are not a 3-man business. They are present in 29 countries and a simple Google search will reveal their revenue (a billion dollar plus) and the size of projects they’ve undertaken globally.

They are also a listed company and have to report to the Athens stock exchange. Why would they risk what they have built for Ibrahim Mahama? Because Ibrahim Mahama mentioned in his tribute to the late Ekow Awoonor that he received calls of condolences from officers of Mytilineos Group and from Metka limited among others it automatically means he owns them.

They must really think Ghanaians are dumb. God forbid staff of companies of global repute pay their respect to the late Ekow Awoonor one of Ghanaians finest lawyers. Ekow Awoonor was Ibrahim’s lawyer and friend. It only makes sense that people reach out to him in the event of his friend’s passing. Ibrahim also probably wanted to feel important so decided to name drop. He probably knew that name dropping entities of such repute would make him look good as well.



I still stand to my initial stance that $200 million lined our dear ex-president Mahama’s pocket. The problem is that people in the current administration are pissed off about not also being able to chop-chop in the new agreement. The re- negotiation didn’t make room for that. Mytilineos is not playing ball. They cannot play ball. They are a listed company . They are not giving out million dollar tips so the elephants are upset thus the ploy to drag Mytilineos through the mud.

My people wake up and shine your eyes. Some of the new sheriffs in town want a taste of Mahama’s chop chop and are so upset that they are throwing tantrums and in so doing making their administration look bad. Word to NPP officials and cronies, be loyal to your government. This deal has no kickbacks. It’s not a procurement/ tender.

By the way, NPP IN 2015 substantiated their claim for the Ameri corruption based on a website announcement of Metka to Athens stock exchange for a project of $360 million in Ghana. Back then Metka was the only clean/ corruption free company. This information was key to NPP’S win in 2016 against Mahama. This same company, which was touted as clean by NPP and furnished figures publically on a global stage, which NPP used to campaign, is being tarnished. Thanks to NPP we know that the company is clean and they have proven themselves again buy not playing ball.



The elephants want Mytilineos to finance their projects with no sovereign guarantee and then proceed to line their individual pockets as well. Some NPP big boys and girls may also want this deal abrogated to probably bring in another Ameri - like company they can benefit from. People, advise yourselves. NDC, stop the foolhardiness, you know the truth. I won’t plead to your conscience or your sense of patriotism because you possess none. It is sad but truly no one gives a damn about Ghana anymore.

The big boys and girls are fighting and Mytilineos is collateral damage to further their agendas. I wonder why these foreign companies bother with Ghana. They should take a cue from this mess. Is Ghana really open for business when we drag most foreign companies through the mud? Let us scrutinize everything but let us also learn to separate the chaff from the wheat. Let us not throw the baby away with the bath water.