President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has placed a ban on the purchase of new vehicles by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) until further notice.
This was contained in a letter written by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, dated March 21, 2017.
The letter asked that MDAs use the “existing fleet of vehicles in their respective transport pools.”
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However, in exceptional cases, MDAs that need to procure new vehicles “shall seek for and obtain the prior express written authorisation.”
The Deputy Chief of Staff Samuel Abu Jinapor in an interview with Accra-based Joy FM said the ban is to ensure that available resources are used in implementing the government’s agenda instead of purchasing vehicles.
“Capital expenditure is used for purchasing vehicles, but in this budget, the President wants to spend it on the productive sector of the economy.”
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He added that “these are not normal times,” and the President want things done differently.
He further stated that since he was sworn in, the President is using a vehicle which was purchased in 2007 and has not found the need to purchase a new one.
"That’s what he has been riding in [and] he is working to ensure that we manage the resources of the country judiciously.”
Meanwhile, President of the policy think-tank, IMANI-Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe, has described the development as “good news.”
He added that the government does not need over 700 vehicles before if=t can function properly.
The directive comes on the back of missing 208 state vehicles which was blamed on former government officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).