Airbus Probe: Edudzi Questions Akufo-Addo’s Accountability Amidst Mahama’s Exoneration

The Director of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Godwin Edudzi Tameklo, has raised critical questions regarding President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s willingness to hold himself to the same accountability standards that former President John Mahama faced in the ongoing Airbus scandal.

Edudzi asserted that investigations conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) revealed no wrongdoing on the part of former President Mahama, who had cooperated fully with investigative authorities over the years and emerged unscathed.

He emphasized that if President Akufo-Addo and other government officials were to be scrutinized in the same manner, there should be no accusations of witch hunting. “Former President Mahama has subjected himself to the laws of this country for almost eight years,” he stated during an appearance on TV3’s Key Points on August 10.

Edudzi further challenged, “Can Akufo-Addo now subject himself to the level of scrutiny that they have subjected Mahama and his relatives?” His remarks follow the OSP’s identification of Mahama as ‘Government Official One’ in the Airbus SE case, a designation confirmed by both UK and US courts during their investigations.

The Airbus bribery scandal involves Ghana’s procurement of three military aircraft – C295s – from Airbus, with the first delivered in November 2011 and the last in November 2015. The transactions faced parliamentary debates over transparency and allegations of inflated contract sums.

Funding for the aircraft was secured through loans from Deutsche Bank, Fidelity Bank Ghana, and the Brazilian Development Bank, with criticisms from opposition leaders regarding the contracts’ legitimacy.

The UK Court’s recent ruling in Southwark has reignited suspicions about corrupt practices linked to the C295 agreements, prompting the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) to establish a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with Airbus SE, amidst findings of extensive bribery in multiple countries.

While the DPA may shield Airbus from immediate prosecution, ongoing investigations could still target individuals involved in the bribery, potentially implicating intermediaries within Ghana. As the scrutiny intensifies, the public awaits to see if President Akufo-Addo will embrace the same level of accountability that Mahama has maintained.