Contrary to a press release debunking a viral video alleging that an ambulance belonging to the Ghana government is being sold in Dubai, former Presidential Staffer Stan Xoese Dogbe has shared details confirming the content of the video.
The National Ambulance Service, in a release dated May 29, 2023, attempted to set the record straight regarding the viral video showing a government of Ghana-branded Toyota Hiace ambulance supposedly being sold in Dubai.
According to the service, "The ambulance in question is one of the 26 Toyota Hiace Ambulances being procured by the Government, through the Ministry of Health and funded by the World Bank.
"The said ambulance is located on the premises of the Company, which is manufacturing the ambulances.
"It is therefore untrue that the ambulance is there for sale," the service added.
The service explained that the ambulances are awaiting shipment to Ghana after the completion of the manufacturing process.
However, in a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb, Stan Dogbe shared a screenshot of a May 23, 2023, post by the manufacturing company SK Motors FZCO on Facebook, where the company was advertising the same ambulance for sale.
"SK Motors FZCO, the Dubai-based car dealer, whom the National Ambulance Service of the Republic of Ghana claimed in a statement on Monday to be the manufacturers of a set of ambulances being procured, had earlier on May 23, 2023, put up for sale on its Facebook page what it described as New Toyota Hiace GL 2024 Ambulances.
"The ambulance in the accompanying photo for the advert was none other than what appeared in an amateur video with the Republic of Ghana National Ambulance Service logo and details on them," Stan Dogbe wrote.
He revealed that the company has since deleted the post following the statement released by the National Ambulance Service. He also pointed out that the company in question is a car dealership and not a manufacturer, as claimed by the service.
"In an earlier PR statement regarding the viral video, the Service claimed that the ambulance is part of a fleet that has been procured and is due to be shipped to Ghana. The Service also claimed that SK Motors FZCO is the manufacturer of the Toyota ambulance, a fact that I have challenged the Service to provide proof of.
"SK Motors has this evening deleted the earlier Facebook advert of the GoG advert, but folks had saved the post before they were prompted to delete," he said.
The former presidential staffer highlighted the contradictions in the statement and criticized the government's attempts to dismiss the video as propaganda.
"Does the National Ambulance Service have more information to provide?
"Government officials had earlier sought to deny the video, claiming it was just another propaganda against the government, before the Service embarrassed them with its faulty and deceptive PR goof," Stan Dogbe added.
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