Felix Kwakye Ofosu the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications has revealed the person behind President John Dramani Mahama’s two car gifts he donated to the state.
He revealed that the two-car gift was donated by a Ghanaian company and a Chinese firm operating in Ghana.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, it was presented to support Ghana’s green energy initiative.
Speaking on Asempa FM Felix Kwakye Ofosu disclosed, “The cars I presented to the state through the Chief of Staff were electric vehicles (EVs) that use batteries. Since it is modern, some companies want to introduce it into the country.
The cars gifted to the president are from two different companies, a Ghanaian company and a Chinese firm operating in Ghana, who wanted the president to help promote the green energy initiative by using these vehicles, and by doing so, it would encourage others to go in that direction,” he clarified.
He added, “There are some companies who believe that if prominent people use or patronise their products, it will help promote the products, and so, on a daily basis, people come with this perception in mind, getting you to help promote it”.
Felix Kwakye Ofosu further stated there are no laws that prohibit the acceptance of gifts.
The minister added, “There are no laws that prohibit the acceptance of gifts, but if it exceeds a certain threshold, you must declare it and give it to the state pool and that is the same law in many advanced democratic countries, only that there are different thresholds.
“In the case of Ghana, the threshold is GH¢20,000.0,0, which means if a gift exceeds this amount, you must declare it to the state, and that is exactly what President Mahama did. He has not committed any crime or breached the law.
He hasn’t used the cars, but sometimes it helps to promote local industries or companies trying to help the Ghanaian economy, and there is nothing wrong with this and should not attract criticisms,” he noted.
Meanwhile, The Director of Policy Engagements and Partnerships at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) Dr Kojo Pumpuni Asante has stated President John Dramani Mahama should have flatly rejected the two luxurious car gifts.
According to him, such high-profile gifts should have been rejected by the president and not donated to the state.
He added that the president has too much power to create conflict-of-interest scenarios that cannot be cured.
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