A good friend once said that the difference between our brothers to the east, the Nigerians and us [Ghanaians] is that, a Nigerian will say; “I’m going to rob you” -and a Ghanaian would say, “hello sister / hello brother” (with a smile) -and you know what, -she's soooo right!!!
We are sooo subtle, soooo under the radar -that, and I’ve said it before, -its possible to sit next to a Ghanaian with over 50 million sterling in his or her account and you’d never know!!! You wouldn’t know it from his or her clothes, from his or her hairstyle, the lack of pedicure, the ratty leather briefcase or faux leather handbag -etc etc!!! He or she would sit next to you like a bushman or woman -who has spent the morning drinking gari water and foraging for wood -no (mercy)???
I’ve grown up knowing -that we Ghanaians are beyond tight -oops, -sorry, -that …Ghanaian men are beyond tight!!! -Generous to the t, we Ghanaians feed strangers, open our doors to travellers and have all at one time or another -had family members or friends come to chill with us [???] for TWO weeks -only to never leave (lets keep it real) -but to get one pesewa out of a fellow Ghanaian is another thing altogether -right????
The thing is -we are one of the happiest, nicest people on earth (the BBC have acknowledged this) but we can (not me) be very tight… Its like money, like that famed song by Pat Thomas -is like BLOOD!!! And this is spiritual!!! -I’m thinking that maybe the reason we [Ghanaians] are not good with charity, mind you, I guess it can be argued that most third world-ers especially Africans aren’t very good -at charity -otherwise why are we sooo poor? -
The thing is, -we Ghanaians are sooo fabulous at sooo many things -but we aren’t natural, or giving or reasonable around -money [houses or land] -why???
Anyway, I don’t know why I’m waffling on and on but the following taken from Ghana Web is a real eye opener and a real change in the way I feel, -we Ghanaians usually conduct our…errmmm things/ our business!!!
There’s a real taboo about money and wealth in Ghana -no??? we are also a people not prone to showing off our wealth -full stop. In fact Ghana‘s rich are probably the most hidden group on earth!!!
We Ghanaians are sooo afraid, sooo cautious or as some might say; just too classy to go around bragging about our wealth that Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, the younger brother of Vice President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama -conceding publicly -his private jet is soooooo telling of where we Ghanaians are at right now in our evolutionary journey…
I don’t care that some of Ghana’s chattering classes -are talking. I don’t care that there will be some thinking ‘corruption’ -he is the younger brother of our currant Vice President -after all, but mostly -I think many of us will be pleasantly surprised to see one of Ghana’s habitually hidden rich, publicly enjoying his [own] wealth -and unapologetically so…
I’m thinking-‘good for you’ Mr. Ibrahim Mahama -life’s toooo short to live it in hiding…, plus if he made his own money, why can’t he also enjoy it? Because there’s nothing wrong with a good, honest, virtuous man or woman, -who hasn’t rob anyone or a nation, hasn’t killed anyone -or committed mass genocide -enjoying his or her own self created wealth -right?
Of course the perfect balance now -would be for Mr. Ibrahim Mahama -to be seen -to be doing some good in Ghana!!
If I was doing his PR, -the next step would be for him to be seen -doing some serious charity work in Ghana, -like opening a children’s home -say or building a new clinic, because……., Ghana as its is chattering classes will tell you, is still a third world country -and don't we know it???
But mostly, I’m thinking that he’s not the first Ghanaian to own his own private jet -as there are others!! -But honestly, I don’t care -only the green eyed monsters in Ghana’s uber bashful society -does..
Folks…. I know we are all God fearing in Ghana [yer right] -and that we’re a bit -you know, -weird…… -sorry…., shy about celebrating our success and all that ……but --can’t we at least start to celebrate some of the yummy prosperity and stuff going on in ‘our’ Ghana -small, small …without the green eyed monster taking -over???
The following as I stated before I started going on and on -is from Ghana Web.com. Congratulations to Mr. Ibrahim Mahama on the purchase of his [very own] private jet…
Title: First Ghanaian to own & fly private Jet…
IBRAHIM BEATS KENNEDY AGYAPONG -As ‘Engineers and Planners’ takes delivery of Jet
The
hopes of under pressure New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament
(MP) for Assin North, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong of becoming the first
Ghanaian to ever own and fly a private jet in the country has been
dashed.
This follows the acquisition of a Bombardier challenger
600 high-performance private jet by young business magnate and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Engineers and Planners Company Ltd, Mr.
Ibrahim Mahama who also is a younger brother to the Vice President of
Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. The cost of the recently
delivered plane, a versatile 15 seater Jet of the Bombardier aircrafts
stock was not immediately known, however information picked by The
Al-Hajj indicates that it was part of a trade deal between the astute
CEO of Engineers and Planners and an American business partner.
The
purchase of the15 seater Bombardier Jet makes the CEO of Engineers and
Planners to set a record as the first indigenous Ghanaian to own and fly
a private jet, although some Ghanaians like the Alhaji Asuma Bandas are
known to own and operate solely commercial aircrafts.
A source
close to the young, enterprising and energetic entrepreneur, Ibrahim
Mahama told this paper that the plane though purchased for private use,
is commercially available for rental by mining companies, oil service
companies and other corporate institutions when not in use by Engineers
and Planners.
The acquisition of the aircraft, according to our
source became necessary following the expansion in the business
operations of Ibrahim’s Company, Engineers and Planners to other
countries in the West and Central Africa regions and also in view of
some challenges involved in beating deadlines to meetings and other
engagements.
Engineers and Planners Company Ltd, a wholly
Ghanaian owned company with over 15 years experience and specialized in
the management and hiring of heavy duty plants, equipment and machinery,
haulage, oil and gas, land reclamation and restoration, dam
construction and mining is now operating in four countries: Ghana,
Liberia, Sierra Leon and Congo Brazzaville and hope to expand further to
other countries including the Gulf region.
The company is also
in final discussions with major mining companies in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Republic of Guinea to provide similar services.
Additionally,
Engineers and Planners hold a majority stake in a major truck
dealership that covers the entire West African sub-region.
In
Sierra Leon and Liberia, Mr. Ibrahim Mahama and his company work in
partnership with Mr. Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, an Indian steel magnate,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal, the world’s
largest steelmaking company.
One of the richest people in the
world and presently the 6th richest, Lakshmi Niwas Mittal owns 41
percent of Arcelor Mittal and holds a 34- percent stake in the English
side, Queens Park Rangers F.C. football.
Engineers and Planners
have also been contracted by Messrs Arcelor Mittal to provide mining
services at their iron ore mining site at Yekepa in Northern Liberia.
This project includes civil engineering works for installation of an
iron ore processing plant and construction of a tailings Dam. A
statement by the company disclosed.
When loud-mouth Assin North
New Patriotic Party MP, Kennedy Agyapong, currently facing treason and
genocide trial, bought for himself a nearly 400, 000 pounds sterling
Rolls Royce on his 50 birthday celebrations last year, he promised
himself to be the first Ghanaian to procure a private jet at 55.
But now he is being beaten to it by the affable and young entrepreneur, Ibrahim Mahama.
Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=243217
***
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Another fantastic private jet service provider is Villa Monticello (http://www.villamonticello.com/) in Accra. They have an incredible Koncierge service that includes: chartered yacht/aircraft /helicopters and offers, “total access to Accra and the surrounding region”.
To read all about International Air Charter’s services to Ghana visit:
http://www.internationalaircharter.com/airports/ghana/cy2090/
Private Jet Charter:
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To read all about Villa Monticello’s Koncierge services visit: http://www.villamonticello.com/html/koncierge.html
