Newly elected National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay has descended heavily on Former President John Dramani Mahama after he made mockery of him for procuring a loan facility from a bank widely speculated to be owned by the latter’s brother.
Freddy Blay has dared the former president and the NDC to expose him if they find any wrongdoing in the transaction details with the bank.
The loan was arranged to enable Freddie Blay to realise his ambition of providing 275 buses for the various constituencies in the country.
To this day, 100 out of the planned 275 has arrived awaiting distribution and an outstanding 175 buses yet to be delivered.
John Mahama, on 6th July, took to his twitter timeline to throw jabs at the NPP and Freddie Blay for relying on a bank that was linked to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama to finance a project for their party.
The Former President who is seeking to lead the NDC into the 2020 polls for the second time tweeted, “$11.4 million Freddie Blay buses ahead of NPP election financed by Universal Merchant Bank? I thought Merchant Bank was sold to my brother, Ibrahim? So Ibrahim Mahama's bank financed the 275 buses for Blay & NPP? LOL!”
This tweet by Mahama incurred the ‘wrath’ of Mr Blay who described it as an “unfortunate” act during an interview with Kojo Yankson on AM Show.
The NPP National Chairman observed that banks were nonpartisan and open to business to all manner of persons irrespective of their background thus expressed shock that the former president reacted in such manner.
He noted that though he has done his best not to drag the bank into the discourse, NDC and Mahama has mentioned it publicly and as such is an indication that should there have been anything wrong with the idea to go for a bank loan to purchase the 275 vehicles, they would have propagated it around.
“Fortunately, he John Mahama has said that we have gone for bank loan from a bank that is supposed to be a property of his brother so why have we now gone to them? It is unfortunate. I thought a bank is a bank, any individual if you want to put money you go there. Unfortunately, they have accepted and if they think there was some untoward things done or some corrupt practice they should call for it, they should ask the bank. He knows the bank,” Freddie Blay challenged.
“I have refrained from mentioning the bank or financial institutions, but they know. So they know it and they are telling that we have gone for it. If it was wrong they will go to the rooftop and trumpet it. They haven’t done it except to argue that we have come to their bank and so forth” he stressed.
The former Ellembele MP also recalled how the NDC party during the previous Mahama-led government imported over 300 Mahindra vehicles for the party use in the run-up to the 2016 elections.
Comparing the two situations, Freddie Blay wondered why a loan by an individual for a commercial activity will be subject of investigations, especially demanded by Mahama and his NDC party as they equally imported vehicles though not for commercial purposes.
Source: ghanaweb.com
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i find it very difficult to understand our leaders, they condemn but when comes to them they find the way to defend.. wow Mr Blay, i see you as a grown up man who will set a very good example so your generation will be proud of.My question is Mr Blay was the purchasing of the vehicle finance by the Bank? is it the same bank you and your people claim to be that of Ibrahim Mahama and they are illegal? you even condemned and made the whole world understand there was a lot of issues? but if you later found they were legal why didn't you come out to tell us the people you claim serving how legitimate the bank is, but rather went behind us the people you claim you will be transparent to and sort the bank to finance your purchase... wow.and even if not finance by Ibrahims bank, do you think it was wise to buy all those vehicle whiles there is a lot of unfit ambulances languishing at the Tema harbor. And also since the ongoing one district one factor is in process, don't you think this money can also build local clinics for the remote people, and even it could have been a big stuff and boost NPP chance for the next general elections.i don't know where you are coming from with the decision to buy vehicles. and not ashamed granting interviews.but let me assure a time is coming you this politicians will bury your head to shame, don't think that time will be the future. it wont keep long, it will be while you are alive and you will gnash you teeth. Now you granting interviews defending your actions? TIME WILL TELL
Papa Blay, carefully think through what the man said!! He is not criticizng you to have gone to a bank to secure the loan........ The point is "the NPP which you are the chairman, castigated Mahama and the Universal Merchant Bank.....Why of all the banks, you chose to go to the very one that you an your NPP drew into the mud!!! Mahama too, i see you trying to tease though, but such coming from a former President, please do not open the flood gates for any and everyone to be insulting!!!