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The Chief Executive of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama has debunked claims by the Minority in Parliament that he is using state-owned equipment to carry out a private contract.

In an interview with Citi News, the younger brother of the President admitted that indeed, the earthmoving equipment belong to the state but he is using them to dredge the Odaw River at no charge to the state.

“The Ministry of Local Government gave the equipment to us and I am happy you are here to see the equipment working. It was released for us to help him desilt the drain and that is the condition. They are being used for government work,” he said.

The Minority has accused the President of allowing his brother use state assets to execute private contracts.

They alleged that the earth moving equipment had been branded with the name; Engineers and Planers; a development they described as “suspicious.”

But responding to these claims, Ibrahim Mahama argued that such a professional job cannot be carried out without “putting your name on the equipment.”

Explaining why he branded the equipment in the name of his company, Ibrahim Mahama stated that if that is not done, people may steal them and sell its parts.

“If government gives me a truck to work with and I don’t put my name on it and the next thing you know, it will be at the magazine and they are selling it and breaking the parts. What do I say to government,” he asked.

According to him, branding equipment with company stickers does not mean ownership; “stickers just mean who is using it and that is why we have put them on it.”

I won’t to stop helping

An unhappy Ibrahim Mahama lamented over the series of allegations leveled against him by some political opponents of his brother as well as a cross section of the general public.

He indicated that despite his good works, his operations are always misinterpreted.

“I wish to stop because a good man is never honored in his own country and that is how I feel,” he complained.

He disclosed that since beginning the desilting of the Odaw River, he has always wanted to engage the media for them to inform the public on the extent of work being done.

“The work is not easy,” he said, adding that it is high time Ghanaians got together to keep the country clean.

“Let’s get together and clean our homes. We can’t be waiting for CONTI to come and say they are going to clean the drain,” he advised.

I move earth for a living

Mr. Mahama clarified that he is a contractor who moves earth for a living.

He said he decided to offer his services to the state at no charge because he is presently not engaged in any personal contract and since his boys were idle, he chose to use their expertise to desilt the drain.

“This is what I do for a living. I move earth and I get paid. If I am idle and waiting for my next job somewhere, and I can offer my service and I can use the boys to be able to do this job for Ghanaians,” what is illegal about this?

According to him, it is high time Ghanaians moved away from relying on foreigners all the time to undertake developmental projects within the country.

“Even if the foreigners come, they will hire the services of my boys to do the job so why don’t we start doing it to prevent other lives from being lost and that is why I have taken the initiative.”

“I have done many jobs like this but it is likely that you have not heard it…and I am glad that you have come here to see all the equipment that belongs to government working on this job.”