Gov’t’s claim it didn’t request new cars disappointing – Ato Forson

Former Deputy Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson has accused the Akufo-Addo government of bad faith over the order of 43 vehicles by the Mahama administration for the presidency few days to the handing over power.

Mr. Ato Forson reiterated a previous position by a fellow National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament, that the vehicles were ordered upon the express request of the current administration.

“It hurts when you deal with someone at that high level and you expect that everybody will keep good faith to their promise and when you authorize somebody to do something on your behalf and you change your position, I think it is bad faith,” he said to the media on Tuesday.




Denial from gov’t

The Akufo-Addo administration has maintained it knew nothing of this deal despite claims by a former Presidential Staffer, Dr Clement Apaak.

A deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, speaking on the authority of the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, insisted that there were no conversations of this kind to purchase new vehicles.

Dr. Apaak had claimed that the current government agreed with the then out-going Mahama government to buy the 43 new vehicles a few days before leaving office.

Deal authorized before transition process

Later on, a two-paragraph letter authorizing the purchase was dated December 9, 2016, emerged, and it was signed by the former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah two days before the Transition team was officially inaugurated on December 11, 2016.

The letter noted that the deal was authorized by the outgoing Finance Minister, Seth Terkper, to take note of the decision to purchase the 43 vehicles “for necessary action accordingly.”

The letter also clearly stated that the outgoing government had “decided to acquire some vehicles for the incoming administration.”

Earlier documents sighted by Citi News revealed that the contract for the new cars for the Presidency was awarded by the Mahama government on the 3rd of January, 2017, to Amalgamated Security Services LTD.

Source: citifmonline.com