Parliament has given indications it will investigate how for over 16 years, some 86 cross country vehicles imported by the government, have been left to rot at the local government Institute in Accra.
The vehicles were originally brought into the country to be used by District Chief Executives.
But the then Kufuor government failed to distribute the vehicles to the various assemblies, citing the absence of a written contract in the purchase of the vehicles. Governments thereafter failed to reach an amicable settlement with the importers of the vehicles, African Automobile Company Limited.
Speaking to Citi News, the Chairperson of the Local Government and Rural Development Committee of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei, said a parliamentary enquiry is needed to bring closure to the matter.
She said because the issue borders on local governance, “it becomes an issue that we [Local Government and Rural Development Committee] should show great interest in and ensure that we deal with it and find solution to it because almost 10 years now, some vehicles have been deposited somewhere without any use and it is a real cost to the nation.”
“…Therefore, we will be very much interested into looking into this issue and find solutions to it. One other thing I want you to know is the fact that, I don’t know whether it’s gone through some legal process.
Anything within the legal process is within the courts and what we cannot do is that once the issue is in the hands of legal personnel, we cannot do much about it unless the court decides towards how it ought to be done.
Apart from that, we will recommend to government as to which line is supposed to be taken,” she added.