Minority calls for govt's transparency in GAF acquisition
                       

The Minority in Parliament,  on Tuesday admonished government to do due diligence in the planned acquisition of a new aircraft for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
                        
Government is arranging to buy a C-295 CASA aircraft and related equipment under a purchase agreement with the Airbus Defence and Space S.A.U at a cost of 33 million Euros, under a credit facility Agreement between Ghana and the VTB Capital plc, London for an amount of 300 million dollars for the GAF’s peace-keeping operations and other agreed uses.
                     
Consequently, the Minister of Defence, Dr Benjamin Kumbour laid the Purchase Agreement before Parliament for approval.  
                    
But the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, after the agreement had been referred to the Committee on Defence and Interior, warned that nothing should be hidden from the Committee that would scrutinize the contract.
                     
“I do not have anything against it. Just to emphasize that we have seen this before in this House. To avoid any controversies, we want the details to be given to the relevant committee. We do not want any rush work as far as this matter is concerned,” he said.
                    
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu   urged government to exhibit transparency in the transaction,  because similar agreements had been fraught with corruption, and had not benefited the nation.
                     
“We want all information to be available for diligent work to be done. Every bolt and nut should be made available to the Committee,” he said.
                         
But the Speaker,  Mr Edward Doe Adjaho,  noted that the Report of the Committee would prove whether the loan facility would benefit the nation or not.

He urged the members to allow the Committee to do its work and refrain from pre-empting the outcome of the matter.
     

SOURCE: GNA