“No one gives a receipt for bribes," that was the sharp riposte fired by National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Awuku, to the former Attorney General & Minister for Justice, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong,.

Some foreign and local media outlets over the weekend reported an Airbus corruption scandal naming Ghana, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Taiwan, as having been cited as destinations where the largest aerospace multinational in Europe, admitted that it paid huge bribes in order to secure contracts.

In the case of Ghana, the operations were reported to have taken place between 2009 and 2015; during which former President John Mahama served as vice president and subsequently president.

According to the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Airbus hired and disguised payments to a close relative of a government official in Ghana with no aerospace experience in connection with a sale of military transport planes.

However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has denied claims that Airbus paid bribes to some government officials in their tenure.

A statement signed by Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong said: "the reports alleging that Airbus SE paid bribes during the administration of President John Evans Atta Mills and John Dramani Mahama are false, misleading and do not reflect the Approved Judgment. Indeed, the Approved Judgment of the Crown Court of Southwark approving the DPA between Airbus and the UK Serious Fraud Office does not allege that any payment was made by Airbus to any Ghanaian Government official."

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Sammy Awuku said: "I saw the statement from Marietta brew and I disagree with her on a matter of principle because no one gives a receipt for bribes and it is strange that the NDC claims bribery was not mentioned in the ruling; then what is the basis for the fine."