body-container-line-1
20.03.2009 NPP

Dr. Don Arthur makes fresh allegations again BONIFACE SOLD STATE ASSETS TO NPP CRONIES... Alan`s bungalow went to Coca-cola boss

By Alfred Adams, Takoradi - Ghanaian Chronicle
Dr. Don Arthur makes fresh allegations again BONIFACE SOLD STATE ASSETS TO NPP CRONIES... Alans bungalow went to Coca-cola boss
20.03.2009 LISTEN

THE Chairman of the Transitional Team on the Executive Assets Committee, Dr. Don Arthur has dropped shocking hints of how state assets were misapplied by government officials under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. Dr. Arthur's broad hints of the misapplication of state assets by past government officials comes days after his committee presented its report on the true state of government's assets.

It would be recalled that the President, at a meeting with the executives of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) and some journalists affirmed his decision to ensure that past government officials rendered their stewardship to the good people of Ghana without blemish. The President's comment came in the wake of the receipt of the transitional team's report.

Speaking on Kyzz 89.7 FM, a local radio station in Takoradi, the Chairman of the Executive Assets Committee told listeners how past government officials took the law into their own hands and sold out state properties, particularly state bungalows.

According to Dr. Arthur, out of the 69 prestige state bungalows which were built out of the sweat of tax payers money, 11 out of the total number had been sold out to cronies of the past government's officials.

According to him, though those bungalows were still occupied by past government officials, in reality they had been sold out. He mentioned that for example, six past ministers have had their bungalows sold out to cronies of the past government.

The Ministers are Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, former Minister of Trade and Industry and Presidential Initiative, whose bungalow had been sold out to the Chief Executive of Coca Cola Bottling Company, Mr. Olusegun.

Professor Ameyaw Ekumfi, former Minister in charge of Railways, Ports and Harbours, also had his bungalow sold out to Nick Hotel in Accra. Ambassador D. K. Osei, the Secretary to former President John Agyekum Kufour, also had his bungalow sold out to another hotel in Accra, called Paradise Hotel.

Shockingly, the sector Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Abubakar Siddique Boniface, also sold his bungalow to a party aide. Professor Gyan Baffour, a former Minister at the Finance and Economics Ministry also had his bungalow sold out to one Edmund Mills. The Osu Residential Area Bungalow has been parcelled out to the Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr. Ras Boateng.

According to Dr. Arthur, the selling of the bungalows was done by the Ministry of Works and Housing, which was illegal. Asked by the host of the Morning Show whether the present government could reverse the deal, he answered that the report presented to the government would answer the question.

Dr. Don Arthur, who had earlier told the host of the show that he did not want to give details of the report till the President himself had done, also told the host that state assets under the NDC government led by Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings were left in the name and care of the state before leaving power.

Touching on the controversial state vehicles, Dr. Don Arthur made startling revelations to the host of the programme, Kwame Malcolm, that 420 vehicles which were captured on paper as state vehicles have gone missing.

He continued that from the period of September 2003 to December 2008, the NPP government acquired 986 vehicles for the 116 Political appointees, but only 60 vehicles have currently been retrieved by the present government.

On the brouhaha that each member of the transitional team went home with a mouth watering package of GH¢ 3000, Dr. Arthur denied the allegation and told the host that each member was given a total of GH¢ 1300, excluding fuel and transportation.

body-container-line