EC sells state cars; Afari Gyan gets one for GHC2,600

The Auditor General's 2015 report has revealed that former Chair of the Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan bought a used 2008 Nissan minibus from the commission for GHS2,675 in a 2013 auction.

The Commission acquired the car in 2007 and it was among several vehicles auctioned to some staff of the EC and the public in 2013, after six years of use following their valuation by the State Transport Company (STC).

Current EC Chair Charlotte Osei told the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on Friday, 18 August that Dr Afari Gyan as well as all those who benefitted from the auction paid for the vehicles.

According to Deputy EC Chair Amadu Sulley, the auction process was opened to all staff of the election management body as well as the public.

The EC had estimated the cost of the cars to be GHS402,328 but the actual amount realised after the auction was GHS83,000, a situation that caused the PAC to wonder why the huge "discrepancy".

In explaining the discrepancy the EC Chair told the committee that the fair value estimate of GHS402,328 was given by officials within the commission who were not experts at valuing vehicles.