A presidential staffer, Clement Apaak, has emphatically stated that president John Mahama is not in the least worried about the controversy surrounding the sale of the Merchant Bank to Ghanaian company, Fortiz.

Speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii-Sen programme, Tuesday, Apaak insisted that the president is not bothered, let alone respond to people, who have made it their "stock-in-trade" to "twist facts" and needlessly draw the president into an issue that exclusively bothers on corporate governance.

Critics have accused the president of scheming to have Merchant Bank sold cheaply to Fortiz only because his brother's company is heavily indebted to Merchant Bank.

Fortiz is offering to pay 90 million Ghana cedis for 90 per cent of shares of Merchant Bank with a road map to handle the bank's debt. First Rand, a South African bank also put in a bid to buy 75 per cent shares of Merchant Bank for 90 million dollars (180 million cedis) but the South African bid has been rejected, with Fortiz being favorites to win the bid.

Critics have chided Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), who are major shareholders of the bank and the Board of Merchant Bank for accepting the proposal of Fortiz.

The Centre for Freedom and Accuracy headed by former presidential spokesperson, Andrew Awuni, is in court challenging the sale.

He said the deal smacks of "day-light-robbery".

But Clement Apaak maintained that the deal was completely above board. He told Kojo Asare Baffuor Acheampong (KABA) that nobody has been able to point any wrong doing to the sale of the bank, adding that until that was done, the president will not dignify the critics with a response.

He said the deal is being handled competently by statutory corporate institutions and there is no need for the presidency to be involved.

Speaking on Asempa FM's Ekosii-Sen programme, Tuesday, Apaak insisted that the president is not bothered, let alone respond to people, who have made it their "stock-in-trade" to "twist facts" and needlessly draw the president into an issue that exclusively bothers on corporate governance.

Critics have accused the president of scheming to have Merchant Bank sold cheaply to Fortiz only because his brother's company is heavily indebted to Merchant Bank.

Fortiz is offering to pay 90 million Ghana cedis for 90 per cent of shares of Merchant Bank with a road map to handle the bank's debt. First Rand, a South African bank also put in a bid to buy 75 per cent shares of Merchant Bank for 90 million dollars (180 million cedis) but the South African bid has been rejected, with Fortiz being favorites to win the bid.

Critics have chided Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), who are major shareholders of the bank and the Board of Merchant Bank for accepting the proposal of Fortiz.

The Centre for Freedom and Accuracy headed by former presidential spokesperson, Andrew Awuni, is in court challenging the sale.

He said the deal smacks of "day-light-robbery".

But Clement Apaak maintained that the deal was completely above board. He told Kojo Asare Baffuor Acheampong (KABA) that nobody has been able to point any wrong doing to the sale of the bank, adding that until that was done, the president will not dignify the critics with a response.

He said the deal is being handled competently by statutory corporate institutions and there is no need for the presidency to be involved.