A group; Taxpayers league Ghana is asking government to recover excess funds paid the MMT bus re-branding saga and ensure the money finds its way back to the consolidated fund for national development.
The group is unhappy with a litany of expenses associated with several projects and believes the Ghanaian people are being handed raw deals.
A press statement issued by the group and signed by its Executive Director; Hopeson Adorye quotes:
“Recently, the Minister of Roads and Transport awarded a contract to the tuned of Ghc 3.6 million equivalent to US$ 1 million just to brand 116 buses with the President’s image. President Mahama commissioned a less than 1 km stretch Adomi Bridge at the cost of Ghc 54.4 million equivalents to €13.6 million. Renovation of Kumasi domestic airport runway cost the nation US$ 23.5 million. Tamale airport also cost US$100 million etc.”
Please read the full statement below:
THE ERA OF CREATE, LOOT AND SHARE IS IMPEDING GHANA’S DEVELOPMENT: – TAXPAYERS LEAGUE GHANA
Assessment of government performance on the economy and the development of Ghana as a nation by Taxpayers League Ghana have revealed that the institutionalization of corruption by President Mahama’s government has impeded the development of our great nation.
Ghana is facing economic crisis as we run to IMF for bailout including billions of Eurobonds just to relieve us from severe hardship but all these monies end up in individuals pocket instead of helping the people of Ghana.
Recently, the Minister of Roads and Transport awarded a contract to the tuned of Ghc 3.6 million equivalent to US$ 1 million just to brand 116 buses with the President’s image.
President Mahama commissioned a less than 1 km stretch Adomi Bridge at the cost of Ghc 54.4 million equivalents to €13.6 million.
Renovation of Kumasi domestic airport runway cost the nation US$ 23.5 million. Tamale airport also cost US$100 million etc.
It is amazing to note that appointees who get involved in corruption are promoted from ministries to the Presidency.
The Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah, has requested the Attorney General to recover GH¢1.9 million from Messrs Smartty Management Production owned by Selassi Ibrahim who is a friend of President Mahama. The AG’s report has determined this amount to be excess payment made for the service rendered.”
Was this excess payment due to a bug in the payment software, carelessness by the accountant, fraud by Smartty, expense padding by the minister, etc.? Who approved the decision to rebrand the buses?
Since government has accepted that there was a wrong doing, the Minister must face the music and cough the taxpayers’ money back.
Taxpayers League Ghana totally rejects this dubious directive from the chief of staff. We need the full amount back into the consolidated fund. We also add our voice to our colleagues of Taxpayers Alliance Ghana to call on the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police (CID), The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Economic and Organized Crime Unit to effect immediate arrest of the CEO of Smartty and the Minister of Roads and Transport to recover the full amount dubiously paid out from our taxes.
……Signed…….
Hopeson Adorye
Executive Director
