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General News on Friday, April 19th, 2019
Source: Myjoyonline.com
2019-04-19
Mahama said her administration will look into the MASLOC case when she will be re-elected.
John Dramani Mahama urged the Akufo-Addo government to release buses purchased under the MASLOC (Microfinance and Small Loans Center) agreement to members of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).
Some 350 vehicles, including buses, were purchased in 2016 under the program through a hire-purchase for GPRTU members.
But the vehicles are not used because of a disagreement on prices.
Speaking about this during his visit to some bus terminals in Accra on Thursday, John Mahama said his administration would consider the issue once its mandate resumed.
"The NDC has bought buses under MASLOC, but there seem to be some outstanding issues and the buses are still there. I would like to implore the government to come back to this issue and ask the officials to release the buses so that the drivers can use them to transport people. When cars are not used, they start to rot, after having been idle for a long time.
"Another issue raised by drivers is insurance. They say the cost of auto insurance has increased. Some of them also mentioned the high cost of spare parts. In due course, the NDC will discuss with you the best solutions. We will also inform you of the projects we have for you in 2020 when we are elected, "he added.
The vehicles in question are parked in the National Security Court, behind the Accra International Conference Center.
It seems that GPRTU drivers decided not to accept cars because of the costs they suspected of being inflated.
They include 150 Chevrolet Aveo lounge cars, 100 Chevy Sparklite salon cars and 100 Isuzu 33-seater buses.
However, the MASLOC authorities claimed that the vehicles were in good condition but were selling at a slow pace.
Trial
Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, former executive director of MASLOC, was charged with 78 counts of theft and financial loss to the state, a complaint that she pleaded not guilty.
She was charged with signing a contract with Mac Autos on December 6, 2016 to supply MASLOC with 350 vehicles including 150 Chevrolet Aveo buses, 100 Chevrolet Sparklite buses and 33 Isuzu buses without the approval of APP. .
MASLOC then applied for a tax exemption on all vehicles.
The unit price offered by Mac Autos to MASLOC for the Chevrolet Aveo was GH ¢ 74,495 ($ 18,883.39). However, investigations have revealed that the actual retail price offered by Mac for the same model in the same tax-free year was GH ¢ 47,346.93 ($ 12,009.91).
The unit price offered for the Chevrolet Sparklite was GH ¢ 65 095.00 ($ 16 500.63) while the actual price offered by Mac Autos during the same period, without duties, was $ 35 918.37. GH ¢ ($ 9,104.77).
For 33-seat Isuzu buses, the unit price offered to MASLOC was 445,560 GHAC (112,942.96 USD), but the actual retail price without duties was 293,877.55 GH ¢ (74,493.67 USD).
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