Speaking on the authority of the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, who was the co-chairman of the Transition team, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah asserted that “there was not even a conversation of this kind to purchase new vehicles or to even request for new vehicles.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”azBWFMVp2E5vdEeLU5QXibEGBtxN9NSP”]A former Presidential staffer in the Mahama administration, Dr. Clement Apaak, had disclosed that his government ordered some 43 new vehicles a few days before leaving office, upon the request of the incoming Akufo-Addo administration.

Dr. Apaak also noted that, the Mahama administration agreed to the request by Nana Akufo-Addo’s side because they felt that the security of the incoming president was of importance.

But speaking to the claims on the Citi Breakfast Show,  Mr. Oppong Nkrumah recalled that, “in all the transition meetings that we attended and in all the matters that we discussed, I had never heard of this matter.”

He noted further that “the minutest of requests” are put on paper, so Mr. Apaak was free to substantiate his allegations, with respect to the order of the cars.

“The first step when somebody makes a claim like this will be to ask him whether or not he can back this verbal claim he is making… with some sort some proof that indeed shows that this request was made before we escalate it to this level of conversation.”

Aside from this, in the Deputy Minister’s view, it would have been an oddity for his side of the transition team to insist on the previous government buying the vehicles because, “you would want to then come in and even make your own choices, even for security reasons, etc.”

Potential judgment debt

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.

However, the contract is in limbo following the recent moratorium placed on the purchase of new vehicles by President Akufo-Addo.

Checks by Citi News reveal that the said vehicles have already been purchased and are currently in Dubai and there are fears government could pay a judgement debt if it cancels the contract.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Akufo-Addo gov’t didn’t ask for new cars – Oppong Nkrumah appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Government on Friday indicated that, it had set up the task force with the sole mandate of retrieving assets because some s state assets are yet to be handed over to the government.

[contextly_sidebar id=”K4wFCkldyVAOtWLet0YMkA1GjUBiaM9m”]Speaking on The Big Issue, Dr. Apaak expressed fears the setting up of a task-force could empower elements loyal to the New Patriotic Party government to harass former government appointees alleged to be keeping state assets.

He thus said publishing the names of the task-force members could help check this problem.

“It only designates institutions. There are no names. If anybody shows up and says they are part of the task-force, How do you know whether they are legitimate or a group of criminals?” If what they are going to do is legitimate and there is nothing to hide, I don’t see why their identities should be hidden.”

The agencies represented on the task force are the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division) the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) and the office of the President.

NDC to resist unlawful recovery of state assets

Meanwhile, the NDC has said it is willing to ensure the recovery of any national assets; but will not tolerate any attacks on its members.

In a statement, the NDC expressed its disappointment with the new task-force saying it was only a bid to justify the actions of “criminal elements” loyal to President Nana Akufo-Addo considering it had failed to stop members of the NPP, who are already using unlawful means to attack their members in the name of protecting state property.

The NDC warned that the task-force could compromise peace and stability as it noted that government was already not doing enough to curb actions of groups forcibly raiding individuals and state installations for state property.

The establishment of the task force followed the seizing of five cars belonging to the National Organiser of the NDC, Kofi Adams, by men believed to be National Security personnel.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Members of assets recovery task-force must be named – Apaak appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.