A gift offered to a friend, relation or an associate can be to show high esteem, affection or goodwill but the situation takes on a different colour when the beneficiary of such a gift is a political chairman, as the People’s National Convention Chairman, Bernard Mornah is.
When it emerged that the PNC Chairman, had been gifted a Toyota Hilux pickup by the president's lawyer and husband to gender minister, Tony Lithur, eyebrows were quickly raised and many wondered if it was appropriate and ethical for Mr. Mornah to have received such a gift.
With accusations coming largely from New Patriotic Party functionaries including Samuel Bryan Buabeng of the party’s commutation unit claiming that President Mahama himself purchased the truck for Mr. Mornah only using his lawyer, Tony Lithur as conduit to pat him on the back for doing his bidding by attacking the NPP’s presidential candidate, Nana Addo’s person and policies denigrating them at every given chance.
Mr. Buabeng also mentioned that was it not curious, that the PNC Chairman promotes the NDC’s Presidential Candidate, John Mahama than his own PNC candidate, Edward Mahama.
Mr. Mornah realizing that the document covering the pick-up truck were in the open ostensibly leaked from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) office admitted that indeed he had requested for a vehicle from his friend Tony Lithur to enable him be mobile to advance his political campaign.
“I received the car from my friend and brother Tony Lithur after I made an appeal to him. I got to know him through the Free Tsatsu Movement, which he formed, and I was a part of. As his former student, I know he imports cars so I appealed to him during my campaign and he gave me one of his imported cars. So it was only proper that I registered the car in my name. But it’s obvious the DVLA has leaked the confidential registration documents to people for whatever reason known to them. And I think we should be worried that we cannot trust our DVLA,†he countered.
Now that we know that indeed the PNC’s Mornah requested Lithur based on their friendship for a car which could cost $33,990. What could or has Mr. Lithur demand or demanded in return?
1. Even if the friendship which exist between Mr. Mornah and Mr. Lithur is water tight such that such an exchange could have taken place, was it ethical, given that Mr. Lithur could ask for returned favour which could prove costly?
2. If Mr. Mornah could request for a vehicle and be given, what else has he requested for from political opponents on our blind side that we need to be informed about?
3. Can the PNC even entrust party information in the care of its former Secretary General now Chairman not to be traded for favours.
4. If Mr. Mornah needed a vehicle to advance his campaign, was such information relayed to party leadership and what was the feedback?
5. Does this incident or better still indiscretion not expose the weakness of other political parties aside the two major ones, the NDC and NPP of doing the biding of these two for financial and material support to run their charade political parties?
6. Wouldn’t it be prudent for the PNC’s presidential candidate, Edward Mahama to release a statement on this matter and if indeed Mr. Mornah is in the wrong, what punishment does he merit?
7. Can Mr. Mornah look to his Supreme Divine entity, beat his chest and state he was not induced in any shape or form by the ‘free’ pick-up truck offered?
8. It’s about time, the National Democratic Congress offers its position on the car gift to Mornah from Mr. Lithur.
9. It shall be opportune for the PNC to also let right thinking members of society know its position on the matter.
10. Additionally Mr. Mornah might want to give a full position through a release on the sequence of events leading to the vehicle exchange.
Perhaps the larger issue of political party funding must be addressed with the involvement of the legislature so a clear source of funding for these political players can be identified, tracked and verified with penalties set in place for unscrupulous individuals.
