The government of Ghana has taken delivery of 105 Toyata Corollas for the Ghana Police Service as part of efforts to equip the security agency.

It is recalled that in February 2018, then-Minister of Information, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid explained to journalists at a press conference that the Akufo-Addo government renegotiated the terms of purchase of some 43 VIP fleet meant for the Presidency, to make room for the purchase of 100 Toyota Corollas.

The Akufo-Addo government inherited that contract from the Mahama administration, which ordered the bullet-proof cars at a cost of $9.1 million on 3 January 2017, just days before handing over power to the Akufo-Addo government which won the 2016 polls.

At that press conference last year, Dr Abdul-Hamid said: “I hereby report to the Ghanaian people, through you, that government has accepted the VIP fleet, having come to the conclusion that: 1. Government is bound by the terms of the contract signed with Amalgamated Securities Limited.

“2. Abrogating the contract may incur significant liabilities for government. In doing so, government has, however, made sure to obtain maximum gain for the public purse and also for ensuring the security of the state”.

He said: “We have renegotiated the terms of the contract in the following manner: 1. We have reduced the number of vehicles ordered from 43 to 34, which is nine short of the original number. 2. In place of the nine, we have acquired 100 Toyota Corolla cars for use by the Police Service in line with our commitment to retool the Police Service to enable them play effectively, their role of protecting the Ghanaian people. 3. We have done all this with a total amount of 8.8 million United States Dollars”.