Gov’t can’t justify Gh¢3.6m on re-branding buses – Kan-Dapaah

A former MP for Afigya Sekyere West constituency Albert Kan-Dapaah has lashed out at public officials who sanctioned the contentious Gh¢3.6 million contract to spray and rebrand buses.

The Ministry of Transport contracted Smarttys Management and Productions to decorate the 116 intra-city Metro Mass Transit buses with the pictures of former presidents JJ Rawlings, John Kufuor and Evans Atta Mills and that of incumbent John Dramani Mahama.

Details of the contract have sparked a general public outcry, compelling the chief of staff Julius Debrah to order the attorney general to review it.

Speaking on Morning Starr on Starr 103.5 FM on Friday, Kan-Dapaah stated the venture was immaterial, notwithstanding the obnoxious charges.

“We can’t justify what has been done,” the former Interior minister told the host Nii Arday Clegg.

“I don’t see why we should spend that amount of money to re-brand buses. It is not important.”

Inflated prices

Meanwhile, Crystal Concepts, the company which was subcontracted to rebrand the 116 intra-city buses, is livid after details of the contract were laid bare.

Crystal Concepts was subcontracted by Smarttys Management and Productions, the company which won the spraying and re-branding bid, to place the stickers on the buses at a cost of Gh¢100 per vehicle.

However, a pro-forma invoice from Smarttys Management to the Transport Minister disclosed that the firm charged a whopping Gh¢2000 as labour cost per bus.

A branding expert has also challenged the figures, saying per the realistic industry charges for the quality of work that was done on the 116 Metro Mass Transit buses, the re-branding should not cost more than GH¢ 400, 000.