A group belonging to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Action Movement has said it sides with former Attorney General Martin Amidu that the $510million AMERI deal was fishy.
In a statement signed by spokesperson Kodzo Hamenya Keglo, the pro-NDC group called on former Power Minister Dr Kwabena Donkor, under whose tenure of office the deal was signed, “to expose the real mafia behind the AMERI deal.”
Dr Donkor, his former deputy John Jinapor and former deputy Attorney General Dr Dominic Ayine are being investigated by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service in connection with the deal. Their homes were raided recently by the CID in search of incriminating documents.
Following condemnation of the raids by the Minority in Parliament, Mr Amidu wrote an article in which he said: “I have known Hon. Dr. Kwabena Donkor since the early days of the PNDC Government. He worked for quite some time in my friend and brother, Hon. Joseph Yieleh Chireh’s Confiscated Assets Committee which I frequented before he left for the UK. I am therefore not writing the foregoing because I rejoice in Hon Donkor’s misfortune of being suspected of crime. But I hate the hypocrisy, double standards and audacity of the Minority in Parliament to unlawfully and unconstitutionally impede the police in the performance of their duties contrary to their very oaths of office as Members of Parliament, simply because their colleague, Hon. Dr. Kwabena Donkor, is now under suspicion of crime in relation to the stinking AMERI contracts.
“As a former Chairman of Ghana’s Public Agreements Board under PNDC Law 42, a former Deputy Attorney General for over twelve years, a Minister of the Interior, and an Attorney General I also smelt a rat in the AMERI contracts to be interested in a thorough investigation into the transaction. I have myself questioned the fairness of this transaction which has been published in the media. But I have no reason to believe that Hon. Dr. Donkor personally committed any crime in relation to the contract. The AMERI affair is to me not about Hon. Dr. Donkor whom I have known closely for years. It is about the conduct and integrity of the John Dramani Mahama Government particularly when he has just been reported to have visited Namibia in circumstances that breed suspicion that he is fronting for the same company, its associates and/or its affiliates for profit, even in retirement, contrary to the 1992 Constitution. Which police service will not be interest in the AMERI contract in these circumstances? Dr. Kwabena Donkor, I am sorry to wade into this matter when you chance to be the suspect but I do not see you as the principal problem or culprit. Ghanaians need to get to the bottom of Government corruption no matter whose ass is gored.”
In support with Mr Amidu’s concerns, Action Movement said it has noted with “grave concern a statement issued by the former Attorney General and a foundational member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Martin Amidu indicting former President John Mahama on the AMERI energy deal.
“In the said statement, Mr. Amidu expressed worry over President Mahama’s conduct with regards to the AMERI deal. To him, the AMERI affair is not about Hon. Dr. Donkor but the conduct and integrity of the John Dramani Mahama government.
“Action Movement fully associates itself with the Amidu statement and wishes to state further that just like Mr Amidu, we also smell a rat in the AMERI contracts and want the state to do a thorough job in bringing to light the shady nature of the deal,” the group said.
It continued: “We are by this statement calling on Dr Kwabena Donkor to defend his integrity and the truth. We are fully aware of his innocence and very confident that he will come out unscathed. But while at it, he must not shield anyone involved in this criminal conspiracy against the state. Anyone who steals from the state must be held accountable.
“We are also entreating our NDC foot soldiers not to allow themselves to be used by any former appointee who has found him/herself on the wrong side of the law. No foot soldier should heed the call to gather at the CID headquarters in solidarity with any of the former Mahama appointees.
The foot soldier can be fooled for sometimes but not all the time. Those who eat alone should carry their cross alone. It is time for some of our leaders to learn their lessons the hard way.”
