NDC MPs vent their spleen on NPP adverts

Accra, Aug. 12, GNA - Some minority NDC members of Parliament on Tuesday took the New Patriotic Party to task over advertisements pasted all over some Metro Mass Transit buses saying it was unethical.

The minority said the buses were state-owned and belonged to Ghanaians and it was therefore wrong for these buses to carry NPP campaign adverts.

The MPs raised the issue during a debate on a loan agreement to resource the public transport sector at special meeting of Parliament. Parliamentarians have been recalled from recess to attend to some urgent businesses including the approval of some loan facilities. It is also widely expected that the House would during this meeting work on matters relating to the controversial sale of Ghana Telecom.

A loan facility of 28 million euros for the supply of 150 buses drew criticisms from Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin and the MP for Bawku Central, Mr Mahama Ayariga, who said the adverts carried by the buses were in bad taste since the buses were public property. Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, MP for New Juaben North, said the adverts were paid for and it was not a new thing for individuals to have adverts on some of these buses.

The House also approved over 10 million euros for the supply of some 50 buses and spare parts.

An agreement between the government and the African Development Fund for a 9.2 million dollar facility to support a gender responsive skills and community development project also received approval. The project would benefit about 10,000 youth and women through improved vocational skills training services.

In addition, 500 girls from poor families would receive scholarships to enrol in vocational training programmes dominated by boys.