MDAs have purchased new vehicles – Ablakwa

North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that a lot of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) purchased new vehicles ahead of government’s directive not to purchase new vehicles.

According to him, the announcement was propagandist and an attempt to make government appear prudent.

Mr Ablakwa insisted he had evidence to the effect that government had already bought new cars, daring anyone to challenge his claim.

His comments follow a letter written by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, dated March 21 directing MDAs not to purchase new vehicles.

The letter said MDAs should make use of the “existing fleet of vehicles in their respective transport pools”.

The North Tongu MP first hinted of the purchased cars at the Appointments Committee sitting on Tuesday when Deputy Minister of Finance Kweku Kwarteng appeared for vetting.

He reiterated his point on Wednesday 29 March on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM, on which Deputy Chief of Staff Abu Jinapor spoke.

“I do have evidence that several MDAs have bought vehicles already, so that directive which the Deputy Chief of Staff has been speaking to is more or less a smokescreen, because I do know that several MDAs have bought vehicles and I have the evidence and all the documentation and I’m just waiting for anybody to deny. So I cited only one yesterday, I have several others to cite. I’m waiting for the right time.

I cited the Fisheries Ministry and so I was making the point that the horses have already bolted out of the stable and then this impression is being created as though the new government is so prudent and is not buying new cars,” he stated.

Mr Jinapor, in response, did not deny government had purchased new vehicles but said the directive took effect from “the 25th of this month”.

He noted that government was trying to prevent future purchase of vehicles. “We are looking into the future and there was no particular effort to interrogate the past.

What we are seeking to safeguard or what we are seeking to protect is the future – Ministries, Departments and Agencies securing vehicles in the future, not the vehicles procured in the past,” he clarified.