The quest by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate business mogul Ibrahim Mahama over some financial dealings with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been described by the Communications Officer of opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Solomon Nkansah as a diversionary tactics being engineered by the governing New Patriotic Party.
Mr Nkansah, who made the statement on Onua FM’s morning show ‘Yen Nsem Pa’, likened EOCO to a debt collector that is being used to settle political scores.
Mr Mahama, the Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners (E&P), was invited by the state anti-graft agency for ostensibly issuing in 2015 in excess of 44 post-dated cheques to the Customs Division of GRA.
The checks, according to the investigation agency, were duties for imports of some equipment brought to the country by Ibrahim Mahama but the cheques turned out to be dud cheques.
EOCO subsequently ordered the CEO of Engineers and Planners to pay a sum of GHȻ12.7 million for the unpaid duties.
But the National Communications Officer of the NDC believes the investigation body is being used by the governing NPP to engage in political witch-hunting and an attempt to throw mud at the former first family and its associates.
He lamented how the ruling party and some individuals in the NPP are harassing Ghanaians who are engaging in genuine businesses just because those people by virtue are associated with the immediate past president John Dramani Mahama.
“When has the EOCO become a debt collecting agency?” Mr Nkansah quizzed.
“I think EOCO has deviated from its core mandate and now being used by people for purposes of vendetta.”
Mr Nkansah told host Bright Kwesi Asempa that EOCO will be saving its image if they should allow the GRA to settle whatever issue there is with Ibrahim Mahama instead of delving into areas that is not part of the anti-graft’s remit, adding that institutions of the state should operate as independent bodies and not to be at the beck and call of any politicians for parochial interests.
“How many times have we heard that EOCO went after business entities? Do we now say if someone owes you, they should go to EOCO to chase the person? This is purely a harassment being orchestrated by some people to destroy livelihood of a private citizen. Did Ibrahim Mahama say he won’t pay or has he not started paying?” he queried.
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