Akufo-Addo knows Ofori Atta, Gabby are stealing for him – Mahama

The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Mahama says President Akufo-Addo is aware his relatives in government are ‘stealing’ from the state.

He said the President has however refused to act on malfeasance by his family members in government because he is a direct beneficiary.

Speaking to veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Junior Saturday, Mr Mahama accused the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of enriching himself through the bonds floated by the NPP government so far.

He raised concerns over the role of Databank, a company owned by the Finance Minister, in the bonds acquired by the state since 2017.

“This is clear conflict of interest, the President knows about this and that is why he says I’m too old to be corrupt, I’m not going to steal your money; because he knew his relatives will steal the money for him and that is exactly what is happening. He can go to a plush retirement because Ofori Atta and Gabby and everybody else will look after him,” Mr Mahama said.

The former President also took aim at the handling of economic data by Mr Ofori Atta.

“They were waxing lyrical about how strong the economy is, and just six months of a pandemic the economy collapses…..We are facing the worst economic hardship for the first time in our 4th republic history. The finance minister, who is the cousin of the president has been cooking the figures and this not the first time I am saying this. Today we owe the independent power producers almost $1.5bn and he treats those line items as footnotes including the banking sector debt.

“Ken Ofori-Atta has been engaging In subterfuge and sometimes very criminal subterfuge. For example, in 2019 government didn’t meet the revenue target. You know what Ofori-Atta did? He made GRA went and borrowed money from Commercial Banks and presented it and said they have met their revenue targets. So when Covid struck, the commercial banks have been deducting the loan from the government revenue collected, that’s why the economy is so worst now because any revenue that comes the commercial banks take their monies back. And so, some of these things are very criminal, and I am surprised that Prof. Adei as Chairman of GRA could connive to do something like this. The president knows about it, he has done nothing about it”.