Sacked Managing Director (MD) of the State Transport Company (STC), Charles Thompson, who took home his official car; a Nissan X- Trail at the time of vacating office, has returned the car in a sneaky manner after The Herald’s publication, which blew the cover on the matter.
The car, with registration number GT 650 W, was returned to the company’s garage last Tuesday dawn, when the workers had left for their homes.
The Herald’s last Monday, reported the dismissal of Charles Thompson, and how he took away his official vehicle with the workers asking him to return it immediately.
But the workers told The Herald that they turned up for work on Tuesday morning only to discover the Nissan X- Trail car, resting in the garage meaning it was driven there in the middle of the night, when they had all retired home after work on Monday.
He was said to have told only his bosom friend, Head of Finance and Administration, Veronica Turckson that he had brought the car, which was reported he took away. “I’ve returned the car you people said I have taken away”.
Meanwhile, latest information picked up by The Herald was that former Station Manager at Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivoire and current Head of Operations at STC head office, Victor Anane Frimpong, has allegedly hidden a brand new unregistered Toyota Camry, belonging to the company with his wife in Bolga in the Upper East Region.
The Herald’s preliminary investigation, has revealed that Mr. Anane Frimpong whiles at Abidjan as the then Station Manager, rented the company’s properties, including stores to a certain Lebanese businessman, by name Mr. Greamo Kpoffin.
However, Mr. Anane Frimpong, was said to have documented only one out of the two contracts he signed for the stores in the name of the state-owned company.
The businessman, Mr. Greamo, who was said to have run out of money and for that matter could not fully pay up for the second store, reportedly bargained with Mr. Anane Frimpong and paid him 12million CFA, in addition to a slightly used Toyota Camry car.
Mr. Anane Frimpong, did not account for this particular transaction and therefore pocketed the whopping 12million CFA cash and clandestinely hijacked the car as well.
The car was reportedly cleared and brought into the country by means of protocol through the Ghana’s Ambassador to Cote D’ Ivoire, last year, in September 2013.
When the car was first brought into the country, it was hidden in a certain house somewhere in Ridge Residential area in Accra, but was later sent to his wife at Bolga, when the issues became topical on the lips of STC workers.
Amazingly, when Mr. Anane Frimpong, was asked upon his return to Ghana about how he got the car after many got wind of the issue, he reportedly answered that the car was a goodwill gift from a businessman.
The two stores are currently being run by the said Lebanese businessman for trading car spare parts and other goods. It is unclear the number of years the agreement for the rent would expire for STC to take ownership of its property.
It also unclear if the new management led by Mr. Samuel Nuaman-Donkor, will want to recover the property as there is no legally binding contract between the STC and the Lebanese businessman.
Furthermore, Mr. Anane Frimpong, is reported to have rented out other properties belonging to STC to a certain medical doctor, Dr. Tamadahou Kobla Achil at a cost of 1million CFA, to be used as clinic.
Additionally, the doctor paid another 500,000 CFA as hotel user fee to Mr. Anane Frimpong, without any receipt covering the payment, even though Dr. Tamadahou, actually demanded for the receipts.
The Hotel, named Takyi-Mensah Hotel, is one of STC’s biggest revenue generating properties in Abidjan, but was mismanaged. It is currently being managed by John Appiah-Kubi, with no clear picture as to how much money is coming into government coffers.
Meanwhile, The Herald had also received several reports and documents from a businesswoman at Abidjan, Madam Boham Baaba that former Abidjan STC Manager collected 1.200,000 CFA from her as rent without receipt.
Again, Mr. Anane Frimpong, when he was asked, said the money was goodwill money.
Madam Boham, is currently chasing Mr. Anane Frimpong, for her money and had since officially reported the matter to Mrs. Veronica Tuckson, the Head of Finance and Administration.
STC workers told The Herald that Mr. Anane Frimpong’s presence at Abidjan as Station Manager was virtually an opportunity for him to amass wealth for himself, whilst the financial condition of the company deteriorated.
When The Herald contacted Mr. Anane Frimpong over the issues, he denied and said, all that has been said about him were not true.
He, however, promised to make himself available to explain the issues to the paper during the week, but never showed up. This was after he pleaded to meet one-on-one with this reporter at his chosen location. But the reporter told him to meet him in his (reporter) office instead, which he obliged, but failed to show up with his lawyers as promised.