Azruddin Mohamed Leader of the We Invest in Nationhood Party has publicly condemned what he describes as rampant corruption under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government, spotlighting a lavish mansion belonging to Javed Mustapha, son of Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, in Providence.
In a statement, Mohamed pointed to the newly constructed mansion, which sits on three lots of prime land, and questioned how a doctor who has never practiced could afford such a luxury. “This is what corruption under the PPP government looks like,” he remarked, emphasizing the disparity between the Mustapha family’s wealth and the struggles of average Guyanese citizens in securing house lots.
Mohamed highlighted that Javed Mustapha, despite being a qualified medical doctor, has never practiced medicine. He suggested that the young Mustapha’s affluent lifestyle is funded by corruption at the Ministry of Agriculture, where he alleges billions of dollars are funneled through shell companies, leaving farmers and fisherfolk to suffer.
“Just five years ago, the minister and his family lived in a modest 20 by 30 wooden house in Bloomfield, Berbice,” Mohamed recalled, noting the astonishing transformation in the family’s fortunes. He questioned how a public servant earning less than G$2 million a month could amass such significant assets in a short period.
Moreover, Mohamed pointed out that a massive apartment complex, still under construction, is also linked to Javed Mustapha, raising further concerns about land acquisition in the area. He claimed that this neighborhood was once populated by squatters who were removed to clear land for ministers and their relatives.
He contrasted the Mustapha family’s rapid accumulation of wealth with the struggles of businesspersons who have worked for decades to achieve financial success. “The Mohamed family has been in business for over 40 years, and what it took us decades to build seems to have been acquired by these public servants in just a few years through corrupt means,” he stated.
Mohamed criticized the government’s efforts to shield itself from corruption scrutiny, referencing the recent ban on the word “corruption” in Parliament. “Under the PPP government, it appears that occupying public office allows for the amassing of billions in a very short time,” he said.
He called on U.S. authorities to take note of what he described as “massive corruption within the PPP government” and promised to follow up on further allegations regarding ministers and their families acquiring luxury vehicles and high-value properties under President Irfaan Ali’s administration.
