Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the controversial Hyundai Gallopers parked at the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) are almost 20 vehicles short of the original 86 stated by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information.

Officials of ILGS are tight-lipped over the shortfall and for an unknown reason, the perimeter around the parked Gallopers has been sealed from prying eyes, virtually declaring the place a security zone.

According to sources at the Madina-based ILGS, the area around the Gallopers has been declared a no-go area. Indeed, attempts by DAILY GUIDE to double-check by counting the number of Gallopers still grounded at the institute was firmly prevented by security officers.

“I don’t know why people are quoting all sorts of figures; some are saying 100, others are saying 86. In fact, the cars parked over there (pointing in the direction of the parked Gallopers) are not up to 86,” stated the head of security of ILGS while herding DAILY GUIDE out of the vicinity of the vehicles.

There is a general hush around the vehicles, as officials of ILGS refused to make any comment about the shortfall.

An attempt to get verification from the Administrator of ILGS, Priscilla Ampong, was quickly parried as she directed DAILY GUIDE to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural development and the Ministry of Information.

Apparently, earlier attempts to capture the Gallopers on camera by state broadcaster GTV and Metro Television (Metro TV) were squashed by overzealous security personnel at the ILGS.

When contacted on telephone yesterday to enquire about the shortfall, Mr. Ablakwa told DAILY GUIDE that the issue relating to the shortfalls was coming to his attention for the first time. “This is coming to my attention for the first time, I will have to check,” he said. He never got back as he promised as at press time last night.

Last week, Okudzeto Ablakwa broke the news that Ghana might be courting another huge judgment debt over the contentious Hyundai Gallopers allegedly imported by African Automobile Limited (AAL) around 2000.

The deputy minister announced in a state-run newspaper, Daily Graphic, that Ghana might incur a whopping $1.5 billion judgment debt for an alleged negligence blamed on the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

According to him, even though the Gallopers were imported by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC), when the NPP government came into office in 2001, it ignored outstanding contractual agreements between the government and AAL; hence incurring one percent interest charge on the vehicles monthly with accompanying demurrages.

Government estimates the outstanding cost at around $1.5billion.

Government officials have however indicated that they had gone to the negotiation table with AAL to beat the cost down to about $500 million.

Officials from the previous government have strongly dismissed these claims, saying that the Mills government is plotting to use the Gallopers as one of its “trademark” judgment debt claims to siphon money from the national coffers.

According to Okudzeto Ablakwa, the NPP refused to honour an agreement between government and African Automobile Limited (AAL) for the supply of 109 Hyundai Galloper vehicles to be distributed to the various district assemblies in 2000.Former Local Government Minister under the Kufuor administration, Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, had strongly denied any negligence necessitating the alleged judgment debt.

The Gallopers were planned to be swapped for Toyota Pajeros being used by the assemblies and some ministries under a deal brokered by then Local government Minister, Kwamena Ahwoi, before his replacement by Mrs Cecilia Johnson, in dying embers of the first NDC government.

According to the NDC, an initial 23 Gallopers were subsequently supplied before the NDC government, under Jerry John Rawlings, was voted out of office.

However, it is believed that the NPP government refused to accept the deal because, according to Mr Adjei-Darko, there was no documentation covering the said transaction. The vehicles were allegedly abandoned in a warehouse until the present NDC government paid the cost and the interest accruing before transporting them to the Institute of Local Government Studies at Madina, Accra.

“I know nothing of any contract between Government and African Automobile. Throughout my tenure, no court order was served, so I’m surprised at the judgment debt. The head of AAL never showed any contract between his company and government. The Ministry did not officially take delivery of the Gallopers,” insisted Adjei -Darko last week, when he spoke on the raging issue.

According to him, a prominent member of the NDC at the time had warned him against getting involved in the deal when he took office because it was fishy.

The Mills government appears to be convinced about the legitimacy of the transaction, as its officials claim the existence of an explicit contract binding the transaction.

They hinted that the documentations would be released “at the right time”.