The National Democratic Congress Government in the year 2010 purchased five aircraftsfor the Ghana Armed Forces in the guise that the military needed those planes for some operations, especially with the discovery of crude oil.

The party also made efforts to acquire another Aircraft, Embraer 190, a deal which generated hue and cry in view of the inflated nature of the cost.

Even though on July 26, 2011, the late president, Professor JEA Mills, attempted to defend the deal, he later became convinced of the necessity to set up a committee to investigate it.

Consequently, a Committee to Investigate the Processes of Acquisition of the Five Aircrafts, including the Embraer 190 Aircraft and Hanger, consisting of WilliamAboah, GeorgeAmoah and Brig. Gen. Allotey (Rtd), former judge Advocate-General, was put together.

According to Martin Amidu, former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice (in a strongly-worded statement to the media which sought to harp on the fact that the NDC administration is seriously engulfed in corruption), the terms of reference of the Committee (as he was instructed and drafted) were: to investigate the processes adopted in selecting, negotiating and agreeing on the acquisition of the aircrafts; to investigate the competitive advantages of the prices of the aircrafts and the level of economic and financial due diligence conducted by relevant agencies in the process of acquisition of the aircrafts and to investigate any other matter that in the opinion of the Committee, was reasonably related to the foregoing terms of reference.

“Pressure groups never allowed the Committee to take off. But the fact that the late President Mills even contemplated this committee meant that he was uncomfortable with, and suspicious of the alleged inflated prices of the aircrafts,” he indicated in his statement.

All this while, President John DramaniMahamawas the Vice President, and was privy to the purchase of the aircrafts – which prices were said to have been inflated.

If indeed John Mahama is committed to fighting corruption – as he has been pontificating on – he should tell Ghanaians what actually happened to the Committee. Who piled the pressure on it and for what reason? This is very important in view of the fact that he championed the deal at the time.

These a very legitimate questions because it was the tax payers’ money that was used in the purchase of the aircrafts. And based on the NDC’s catch phrase of probity, accountability, the citizenry deserve a better treat; they need be told about the actions of government that affect their lives.

President John Mahama and his NDC administration cannot extricate themselves from corruption. Merely claiming to be fighting the canker of corruption without showing anything concrete to convince the masses that the fight is on course, is ruse.

No wonder the NPP has described as a “joke” the appointment of a Sole Judgment Debt Commissioner to look into the so-called judgment debt conundrum.  This is because Mahama, as head of the Economic Management Team (as vice president), could not tell Ghanaians that he was not aware of the payment of monies to undeserving people and companies.

In fact, Ghanaians cannot tolerate a government that stinks so badly. A change is therefore, needed to turn things around.