Chairman of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Professor P.K. Buah-Bassuah, has retracted his earlier assertion that the GHc 3.6 million meant for the branding of \u00a0116 Metro Mass buses has been refunded.<\/p>\n
Speaking earlier at a PIAC public forum in Bolgatanga, he told Citi News<\/strong> that the amount for the re-branding which was taken from the petroleum revenue, has been\u00a0paid back<\/a><\/strong><\/span> into the national kitty.<\/p>\n But in a retraction, he explained that what has been paid back into the national coffers is the excess on the amount and not the principal cash.<\/p>\n [contextly_sidebar id=”dZ5TQeH0D1KbIkStccHrrUNYFol25o7k”]He told Citi News<\/strong> that, \u201cactually in my presentation I showed the principal that was Ghc3.6 million for the Metro Mass re-branding, however when Members of Parliament realized that there were excesses, the excesses were refunded and I meant the excesses and not the substantial amount.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Ghc3.6 million remains outstanding and so I meant the excesses but I didn\u2019t make myself clear in that interview.\u201d<\/p>\n He later told participants at a public forum in Wa that the refund should be captured in PIAC\u2019s 2016 annual report on the petroleum revenue management.<\/p>\n Background to the bus branding saga<\/strong><\/p>\n It will be recalled that a revelation on branding of 116 new Chinese Huanghai buses which cost the country GHc 3.6 million caused public outrage.<\/p>\n A leaked Attorney General\u2019s investigation report implied that the contract with Smarttys concluded before the procurement process started, an action that violated the nation\u2019s procurement laws.<\/p>\n