In the wake of a fierce search for alleged 208 missing state vehicles, a former Presidential Staffer says he had returned documents covering a vehicle he used while in government.
“This morning I went to the Flagstaff House and I handed over copies of a car I used for three years,” Vincent Kuagbenu told Evans Mensah, host of Joy FM’s Ghana Connect programme Friday.
He explained he owns the vehicle, the model of which he failed to disclose, because he has fulfilled the requirement of the Presidential Transition Act which allows former government officials to buy vehicles that they have used for over three years.
“I paid for it and paid duty as well and the vehicle was transferred in my name,” he said.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has set up a task-force to retrieve state assets that are unlawfully in possession of some former government officials.
Chief of Staff, Frema Osei Opare said she had been informed that various state assets including landed properties, and vehicles have not been handed over by some individuals contrary to the law.
She charged the public and former public officials to return state properties in their possession to the task-force forthright.
There has been a disparity between the number of cars former government officials said were in their hands and the figure Administrator General, David Yaro has put out in the public.
Johnny Osei Kofi who is a former Deputy Chief of Staff under erstwhile President John Mahama said in a statement released Thursday that they handed over in all a total of 641 vehicles to the new government.
This contradicted Mr Yaro’s claim that per notes given him, the Office of the President which is made up of State Protocol, General Administration and VVIP, there a total of 678 vehicles.
They comprise of 67 vehicles for State Protocol, 41 for General Administration and 570 for VVIP.
Mr Kuagbenu who was formerly the National Service Scheme (NSS) Executive Director said he went to the Flagstaff House because his vehicle has been listed as one of the missing state vehicles.
“So strange,” he expressed shock, adding he does not want anyone to treat him as a criminal.
“I have never stolen any public property. I have been in public service for well over 28 years,” he said.
He explained he met the Chief of Staff at the Flagstaff House and handed over the documents to her.
“I told them I don’t want any person to stop me on the way,” he said.
Mr Kuagbenu said Madam Osei disclosed to him that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was not happy with the public commentary about the missing vehicles.
He cautioned government officials to be meticulous about their public utterances since they might end up courting public displeasure.
