New prices for cars offered ex-ministers, appointees

THE President, Mr J. A. Kufuor, has directed that in the public interest, all ministers and government functionaries of the erstwhile NDC government who purchased government vehicles far below the official values should pay the difference between the prices they paid and the official valuation or return the cars.

A statement signed by Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, said this should be done within seven days.

The statement said the valuations of the official valuer were significantly different from the prices paid by the purchasers.

Under this arrangement, the cars which were sold for between ?4 million and ?25 million are now to attract payments of between ?10 million and ?34 million.

Thus, differences of between ?5 million and ?26 million are now to be paid while the offer of 16 vehicles which are 1999 and 2000 models have been withdrawn.

According to the statement, the NPP government had nothing to do with the valuation process or the deadline set for the completion of the exercise under which the vehicles were purchased by the ex-ministers and party functionaries.

The statement said the Joint Transitional Team did not have anything to do with the said exercise, adding that the matter was entirely in the hands of the erstwhile NDC government.

The Government has, meanwhile, stated that it stands by the principles upon which the joint transition team acted with respect to former President, Jerry John Rawlings and the outgoing executive.

Consequently, the statement said, the former President is, therefore, temporarily being accommodated at the state residence hitherto occupied by his wife.

It said President Kufuor will in due course decide on a permanent accommodation for the former President and his family, explaining that “this is not a gift but a lifetime residence.”

The statement said this is being done in accordance with the provision of the Constitution as elaborated by the Greenstreet Committee.