President Akufo-Addo has issued a moratorium on the purchase of new vehicles by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), according to an official government communication.

As part of measures to channel resources into meeting government’s “ambitious projects” such as the One-District-One Factory policy, One-Village-One-Dam initiative and the Free SHS among others, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has written to all MDAs to make do with the “existing fleet of vehicles in their respective transport pools.”

The ban on the purchase of new State vehicles holds “until further notice.” However, the deputy Chief of Staff Samuel Abu Jinapor has said there is an exception for MDAs who may be in dire need of new vehicles and can make a case for them. Such MDAs are required to “seek for and obtain the prior express written authorization.”

MISSING VEHICLES

Meanwhile, government insists some 234 state-owned vehicles are still missing after the change of government.

The chairman of the Executive Assets Sub Committee of the Transition Team, Ayikoi Otoo, told the media on March 16 that 67 out of the missing 301 vehicles have been retrieved leaving the outstanding at a total of 234.

He said the previous John Mahama-led administration handed over a list of 707 vehicles to the Akufo-Addo government.

The president is still using a 2007 BMW saloon car that was bought to celebrate the Ghana@50 anniversary and resorts to his personal Land Cruiser anytime he travels outside the capital, Accra.