I will not win NPP the election – Ibrahim Mahama rejects partisan tag

The President’s brother Ibrahim Mahama has questioned the sincerity of the NPP’s accusations of cronyism after he landed a lucrative civil works deal prior to the installation of the controversial AMERI plant.

Breaking his silence on the controversy which began last Saturday, Ibrahim Mahama who heads the firm Engineers and Planners has advised the NPP to desist from using him to score partisan points.

“I don’t do shady deals, let’s get serious… I will not win the NPP the election,” he said.

The NPP in a statement claimed Ibrahim Mahama has exploited his close relationship with President Mahama to benefit from the AMERI contract: AMERI is expected to add 250 megawatts to the national grid.

The New Patriotic Party is demanding immediate investigations into the multimillion dollar power agreement between the government of Ghana and AMERI Group.

The demand follows media reports that the nation was shortchanged in excess of $290 million in reaching that deal.

Worst still, a former key figure in the negotiation, Umar Farooq Zahoor allegedly is said to be on the wanted list of the Norwegian security.

Explaining his side of the controversy, Ibrahim Mahama told Accra-based radio station, Okay FM Wednesday, his company does not depend on the ruling government to survive.

“Government will go and government will come but Engineers and Planners will still be here,” he stated.

He revealed that the E&P worked even better under the NPP government between 2001 and 2008 before his brother’s party, the NDC came to power.

According to Ibrahim, his company has had to diversify into construction works because of a downturn in mining industry due to low gold prices.

The AMERI construction deal is the only contract he has won under the NDC government. His work is crucial in ensuring that AMERI plants are connected to the national grid to provide much-needed power.

“If I had not done the job we will still be sleeping in darkness,” Ibrahim Mahama pointed out, stating “if I didn’t help VRA put [the place in order] AMERI will come and the [power plants] will be at that port.”

Ibrahim Mahama said he expected the Minority to find out from him directly because he enjoys a strong relationship with members of the opposition party.

“The Minority knows me better than my brother’s party.”

Ibrahim Mahama wants Ghanaians to see the missed opportunity in the fact that huge monies are going the way of foreign businessmen when a Ghanaian could have been helped to bring in power barges for a nation suffering from an energy crisis.

“We have given it to a foreigner and it is not considered a problem…but people are looking to see if Ibrahim Mahama is in the deal,” he said.