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Government has admitted a vehicle given to President John Mahama by a Burkinabe contractor is part of its pool of vehicles at the Presidency.

A statement signed by Communications minister Omane Boamah said this in response to findings of investigations by Joy News' Manasseh Azure Awuni.

The Burkinabe contractor who built a wall around a parcel of land for Ghana's Embassy in that country at the cost of $650,000, Mr. Djibril Kanazoe, said he gave the vehicle to the president who is a friend.

It was not to influence the president in anyway.

Dr. Omane Boamah in his statement said the 2010 Ford Expedition is in government's pool of vehicle and that the process for the award of the contract for the construction of the wall begun in 2011 when Mr. Mahama was not president.

See the full statement as issued here:

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The Ministry of Communications has noted the contents of a programme aired on JoyFM this morning. The programme sought to link a vehicle presented to the President in 2012 to two contracts awarded to a Burkinabe-owned construction firm.

The said vehicle, which was placed in the vehicle pool at the Presidency as per established convention had nothing to do with the award of the contracts.

The inference of conflict of interest is therefore absolutely false and untenable.

THE FACTS:

CONSTRUCTION WORKS AT GHANA EMBASSY, BURKINA FASO

The processes for the construction of a perimeter fence wall on a large parcel of land allocated to the Government of Ghana began in 2011, prior to President John Mahama becoming President. The scope of construction works on the 673.0 meters long fence wall involved:

Removal of topsoil, clearing of existing rice farm and compensation for owners in accordance with Burkinabe Laws

Reinforced concrete wall with an overall thickness of 300mm and an average height of 220mm above ground and 80mm below ground

The mid-section of the wall involved a reinforced 12mm diameter  high tensile steel at 450mm centers both ways and

Construction of security posts with visitors waiting area among others.

Ghana’s mission in Burkina Faso forwarded three quotations from construction companies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration for consideration. The quotations from the respective companies were as follows:

 

KANAZOE FRERES:      353,136,603 CFA

 

·            COSITRAP:        413, 177, 892 CFA

 

·            IBOUS: 462, 608, 949 CFA

 

The Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL) provided pre- and- post contract consultancy services in terms of architectural, structural, land surveying, quantity surveying services leading to preparation of technical specification, bills of quantities and tender documents, evaluation of tenders, award of contract and supervision of selected contractor to execute the construction works.

Upon due diligence, the contract was awarded to KANAZOE FRERES, who presented the lowest figure among the three companies.

There was no involvement whatsoever of the President in the processes leading up to the award of this contract. Any suggestion therefore to the contrary is palpably false and untenable.

THE 46.4km EUROPEAN UNION FUNDED DODO-PEPESU ROAD CONTRACT

The award of this contract was the result of an international competitive bidding process which was in compliance with laid down requirements of the European Union. There was absolutely no involvement of the President in the processes leading to the award of this contract.

Again, any suggestion of conflict of interest in the award of this contract is without merit.

The President remains committed to transparency and accountability in governance and has worked over the past years to make that a cornerstone of his administration. That commitment is unwavering.