Abandoned Hyundai Gallopers sold at Gh¢20,000 each
The about 86 abandoned Hyundai Gallopers, left for many years at the premises of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS) at Madina in Accra, have finally been sold.
They are said to have been sold at Gh¢20,000 each, Mr Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Adentan Constituency and Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has confirmed.
He said he was offered one, but did not take it and passed it on to someone else.
It was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodio, Nii Lante Vanderpuye who gave the hint of the sale whilst contributing to radio discussions on Accra based Peace FM, Wednesday [August 14, 2019] morning.
Nii Lante Vanderpuye pointed to Mr Buabeng Asamoah, who was also a studio panellist as someone whose name was on the list of beneficiaries and asked him to confirm.
Responding, Mr Buabeng Asamoah said his name was on the “chit” but he passed it on to someone else.
The vehicles were imported in March 2000 by African Automobile Limited (AAL) for sale to the government for use by District Chief Executives across the country under the Rawlings administration.
When President John Agyekum Kufuor assumed office in January 2001, his government rejected the vehicles on the grounds that they were expensive and did not also meet specifications for government use.
The then Chief of Staff under President Kufuor, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani explaining why the government rejected the vehicles also added that the Kufuor administration did not receive any documentation on the vehicles from the Rawlings administration.
Mr. Adjei Darko, who was a two-time minister at the Local Government and Rural Development Ministry between May 2003 and January 2005 and July 2007 on his part publicly said there was no document covering the importation of the Galloper cross-country vehicles and therefore government could not accept them.
When President J.E.A. Mills took over from President Kufuor in 2009, AAL made a claim for payment with interest and government reportedly entered into a settlement agreement with the company.
All this while, the vehicles had been left at the mercy of the weather on the compound of the Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS).
After many years of neglect, the Ministry of Finance this year ordered the valuation and subsequent sale in order to salvage what was left of the vehicles.
The public sale reportedly took place sometime in May 2019.
more details to follow...
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh
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