The integrity of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia continues to be staunchly vouched for by multiple personalities across the political spectrum, signalling the Veep might be a rare breed – an honest politician.
The latest to speak up and defend the Veep is Collins Adomako-Mensah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afigya Kwabre North in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
According to the MP, the Galamsey Economy exposé by Anas Aremeyaw Anas has done zero damage to the integrity of the Vice President as his reputation remains intact.
Adomako-Mensah said no matter what corruption allegations that rise up surrounding the NPP, Dr Bawumia has never been implicated in any of them.
He also flatly denied the purported claim by Charles Adu Boahen, the former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry in Anas’ documentary that an investor needs $200,000 before meeting Bawumia
“I have personally visited the vice president, there wasn’t any need for me to pay appearance fees. The best BECE students from my constituency had the opportunity to come to Accra to meet the vice president. The arrangement was done just over the phone,” he said on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana.
“You can say anything about the vice president, you can question his predictions and everything, but nobody has been able to question the vice president’s integrity, nobody.
“I have not seen or heard anybody question the integrity of the vice president, I have not. In spite of all the corruption issues that are coming up, nobody,” he said.
In the said Anas exposé, Adu Boahen told undercover Tiger Eye PI operatives that he could lead businessmen to meet the president and the vice president.
In the case of the Vice president, he said the businessmen need to pay only 200,000 dollars to the Vice president as an appearance fee and a position for his siblings in the business to be established. That, he said is what the Businessman needs to have the blessing of the government in order to establish a business in Ghana.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen revealed.
Despite the claim, many political operatives have expressed incredulity over suggestions Bawumia would be involved in any such arrangement.
A former member of the communications team of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Stephen Atubiga, opined that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia remains clean as a whistle over the allegations.
“Dr. Bawumia is clean as Jesus in heaven. He is one of our credible northerners still standing tall. show us your saint and I will show the Cottonwood in the (ANNUS),” he said.
President of policy think tank, IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, also questioned the alleged financial inducement for the vice president.
“When making business deals, one must always be measured. Grandstanding should be avoided at all cost especially when it involves others who are unaware of the deals. Not sure Veep Bawumia needs financial ‘pimping’ from anyone. The Minister was too excited at the opportunity.” Cudjoe said.
Bawumia himself, in a statement soon after the news leaked, said he cherishes his integrity and would not have it besmirched under any circumstances.
“My attention has been drawn to a video by Anas Aremeyaw Anas (as posted on his social media handle) showing the Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen, apparently using my name, inter alia, to peddle influence and collect money from supposed investors. I would like to state that if what the minister is alleged to have said is accurately captured in the video, then his position as a minister of state is untenable. He should be dismissed summarily and investigated,” the statement from Dr Bawumia read.
It continued: “I am not aware of any such meeting held by Minister Adu Boahen or a supposed “appearance fee”. My most cherished asset in life is my integrity and I will not allow anyone to use my name to engage in corrupt activities.”
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com