General News of Saturday, 11 February 2017

Source: mynewsgh.com

200 missing cars story is ‘cooked up’ - George Loh

George Loh - Former MP for North Dayi play videoGeorge Loh - Former MP for North Dayi

A former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for North Dayi constituency in the Volta Region, George Loh believes the claims by government that 200 state vehicles are missing is a “cooked up” story.

According to him, the new government concocted the story just to provide the avenue to buy brand new cars for the office of the president.

Speaking on Newsfile, Joy FM’s new analysis programme Saturday February 11, Mr. Loh challenged government to provide list of the missing cars and the recipients of such vehicles if it’s not lying to Ghanaians.

“I do not believe there are any missing cars because the new government has not been able to provide any evidence. It is a cooked up story,” the former NDC legislator stated.

He said if indeed there were missing cars, the best way of resolving the matter was to call the former Chief of Staff and and “you have given us this number of cars but we cannot find this number of cars, where can we find them?”

Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin on February 8, 2017 indicated President Akufo-Addo resorted to the use of his private cars because about 200 vehicles in the presidential car pool were missing under the NDC administration.

However, the issue of alleged missing state vehicles is becoming murkier by the day.

A former Chief of Staff, Johnny Osei Kofi in a statement disclosed a list of 641 state vehicles was handed over to the NPP administration.

But Administrator-General David Yaro, who is mandated by law to keep records of state assets said a list of 678 state vehicles was handed over to him.

Yet a member of government’s communications team David Asante, presented on Newsfile, a list of about 421 vehicles as the one received by the NPP administration.

Mr. Asante promised government will soon publish the names of former state officials who have not returned their official cars to the state.