Accra, (Palaver) -- The recent story about Vice President Aliu Mahama and his wife Hajia Ramatu Mahama donating some hospital equipment to the Tamale Teaching Hospital is a big lie.

In far away Atlanta, Georgia, USA, officials of the Atlanta-based Medshare International are said to be livid over what they consider to be a "con job" and a fast one pulled on them by the Ghanaian Vice President and his wife. This is because the true story is that the entire equipment was donated by Medshare International which, simply invited Mrs. Ramatu Mahama to the ceremony to send the equipment off to Ghana when she was in Atlanta last year.

In a story reported extensively by the "Ghana Palaver" some time ago, the Second Lady had flown to Atlanta, Georgia, ostensibly to host a graduating party for her daughter Selma who had lied to her parents that she had completed Georgia State University and was due to graduate. Unknown to the Vice President and his wife, Selma had actually dropped out of the University and had not completed her course. She subsequently came down to Ghana and got married [...] in a ceremony at the State House Banquet Hall that was again extensively reported on by the Ghana Palaver.

It was while Mrs. Ramatu Mahama was in Atlanta, Georgia that she was invited to a ceremony in Dekalb County, Atlanta, Georgia, at which Mr. A.B. Short, Medshare International?s Chief Executive Officer, sent off the medical supplies packed in a 40-foot container to the Tamale.

Instead of the Vice President and his wife acknowledging Medshare?s philanthropy, they rather, in what is best described as a "Goodbye to Honesty" gesture, claimed credit for the donation.

The equipment itself was paid for by First Data Western Union Foundation. Ghana Palaver has learnt that Medshare International was very upset by the claim of the Vice President and his wife but were advised not to lodge an official protest. Instead, they decided diplomatically to put the true story out on their website on the Internet.
The story, together with an accompanying picture, is reproduced below and can be accessed at http://medshare.org/ms.php/news/global-atlanta-ghana
"Medshare International Sends Medical supplies to Ghana Global Atlanta ? Haiji Raimata Aliu Mahama, the wife of Ghana?s vice president, Aliu Mahama, attended a ceremony at the offices of Medshare International in Dekalb Country last week for the shipment of a 40-foot container of medical equipment bound to the Tamale Teaching Hospital Tamale, Ghana.
Mr. Mahama is the first Ghanaian to win a second term as vice president and is the highest ranking Muslim in the government. His wife, Haija Ramatu, is a teacher and an advocate for children?s education and health.
The Tamale Teaching Hospital is located in the northern past of Ghana, which has the least developed medical infrastructure. Mrs. Haija Ramatu said that the hospital?s children?s ward was in an especially deplorable condition. First Data Western Union Foundation was the financial sponsor of the shipment. Medshare International collects and recycles surplus medical supplies and equipment for distribution to needy healthcare institutions in economically developing countries.
For more information about Medshare to find out how to volunteer or make a donation, call (770) 323-5858 or go to www.medshare.org".