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Akufo-Addo's Airbus probe a diversionary tactic from vanishing excavators - Asiedu Nketia

By Mutala Yakubu
Asiedu Nketia
Asiedu Nketia
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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) have described President Akufo-Addo's directive to probe the Airbus scandal as desperate and a diversionary tactic.

This directive comes as Ghana was named as one of the five countries in which Airbus attempted to pay millions of dollars as a bribe in exchange for contracts leading a court in Britain to slap a fine of 3 billion pounds on the company.

The official court document filed by the UK fraud office revealed that bribes estimated around 5 million euros were paid between 2011 and 2015.

READ ALSO: Akufo-Addo directs Special Prosecutor to probe Airbus bribery claims

The General Secretary of the NDC Asiedu Nketia says this move by the government to probe the issue is to take public attention from the voter's register and other corrupt acts.

"They just want to divert the attention of the nation, they want to sway minds from the voters' register and other burning issues so it is much I do about nothing. I am not sure the UK court called anybody from Ghana to testify so the AG as at that time had issued a statement that, what is in the press is false and he is preparing to come and open up on the issue so it gave me confidence that this is a diversionary tactic. So the President did not hear about vanishing excavators and tricycles vanishing as well?, he spoke to Joy News.

Airbus has confessed to paying bribes in Ghana and other countries between 2011 and 2015 in a corruption investigation of its business deals dating back more than a decade.

Court documents obtained by theghanareport.com show that Europe’s largest plane maker has been fined 3 billion pounds for greasing the palms of public officials and fixers over a string of hidden payments as part of a pattern of worldwide corruption to facilitate the sales of its wares.

READ ALSO: NDC reacts to Airbus bribery claims

This has led to President Akufo-Addo directing the Special Prosecutor to collaborate with its UK counterparts to probe the Airbus bribery allegations.