Accra, May 14, GNA - Government and the Tata Motors of India on Wednesday signed a contract for the supply of vehicles to the Ministry of the Interior and the various agencies under an arrangement with the Exim Bank of India.

The loan facility of 5.5 million dollars secured for the Ministry of Interior under the deal is to be used for the procurement of goods and services from India.

Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of the Interior, signed for the Government while Mr Sudeep Ray, Director of Tata Motors, initialled on behalf of Tata Motors.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said because of the importance that the Government attached to the transportation of the agencies about 4.9 million dollars of the amount was being used to purchase high seating capacity Tata buses; salon cars; pickups, water tankers and ambulances. The remaining 600,000 dollars would be used to obtain computers and accessories and other equipment for the agencies. Some of the vehicles are ready for shipment and would be in use within the next two months.

Mr Kan-Dapaah said the Government was looking at other ways of addressing the accommodation, communication and other needs of the security agencies.

He called for the drawing up of a high maintenance programme between the service and the local agents of Tata Motors of India to ensure that the vehicles remained in use for a long time. Mr Sudeep expressed the hope that the vehicles would help to address the transportation needs of the various security agencies.