Editorial News of Tuesday, 27 February 2001

Source: --

More dongomi, alofole cars exposed

- Landcruisers sold for 2m cedis each

The 'Daily Guide' says it has uncovered that 10 very expensive state vehicles were sold to an individual for a paltry 20 million cedis, breaking down to a mere 2 million cedis per one. The vehicles include five Toyota Landcruisers, one Toyota Double Cabin Pick Up, a Nissan Patrol and a Pick Up, and two Korando Station Wagon.

According to the paper it all began when on April 2, 1998, one Lt. Col. E.R.N. Mensah (rtd) who signed for the Acting Chief of Staff, wrote to the then Minister of Mines and Energy that approval has been granted for the transfer of a list of vehicles belonging to the Ministry.

The beneficiary of the vehicles, one Attoh Baker, who claimed to be the Chief Executive of a National Cooperative Wholesale Unit (NCWU), strangely had the backing of the ex-deputy Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Austin Gamey.

Under the guise of creating jobs in the agricultural sector (Youth in Agriculture Programmed), Gamey communicated with ex- Vice President Prof. Atta Mills to support the move and succeeded in getting the vehicles sold to Baker.

The Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni had, reportedly, questioned the propriety of using the ministry to authorise the sale of government vehicles to an organisation that did not exist but Gamey carried out his intention all the same, claiming the ex-Vice President was aware.