Freddie Blay's 275 buses purchase fishy; EOCO must step in - Anyidoho

Acting General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has laughed off claims by spokesperson for Acting New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman, Freddie Blay that, he owes no one any obligation to proffer any information on the source of funding for the personal procurement of 275 buses for the party.

The outspoken politician in an interview with host of Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm said he was scandalized after Richard Nuamah, made such comments over the financial engineering being championed by his boss.

According to a publication by Starrfmonline.com, Mr. Freddie Blay is guaranteeing for the purchase of 275 buses for all the constituencies in the country.

The website in its publication said ‘’ Freddie Blay is to spend a whopping $11, 412, 500 – an equivalent of GhC52,846,171.65 – to secure 275 buses for the party.’’

Documents intercepted by the online news portal revealed that Mr. Blay, who is serving as a “Guarantor” on behalf of constituency chairpersons of the NPP, who are Trustees of the transport facility, has made a 30% deposit of the contract price, which is equivalent to $3,000, 000 (GhC13,795,561).

The make of the vehicle is Toyota Hiace 2.5L Diesel High Roof with ABS, Manuel Transmission buses and a unit price is going for $41,500 (GhC190,592.36). But reacting to it, Koku Anyidoho wondered why the NPP attacked Mr. Woyome for his financial engineering he carried out for the construction of stadia in the country and yet, Mr. Blay is doing same for his party.



He described the purchasing of the buses as fishy considering the fact that Mr. Blay is the board chair for the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC). ‘’Mr. Freddie Blay, the Acting Chairman of the NPP is the Board Chairman of GNPC and the GNPC has announced the sale of some nine new oil blocks .

They say they are selling six this year and the rest next year. And so if the man is the Board Chairman of the GNPC board, and they are going to sell nine blocks, do your own deductions and see where the money is coming from.’’ ‘’I am not imputing any wrongdoing but I am just doing some mathematics.

The GNPC has announced the sale of oil blocks and he [Blay] is the Board Chair…He was just in opposition but all of a sudden he is doing a financial engineering.’’



Koku Anyidoho was optimistic EOCO will soon step in and ‘’we will know the bank.’’ ''People will certainly raise eyebrows when they suspect something fishy and when you compare Chairman Wontumi who is a private businessman to Freddie Blay who is holding a state office, there is a lot be desired.

It would have been different if Wontumi was the one doing it because he is not a state official.



Mr. Anyidoho, wondered why government has failed to pay Cuban doctors, pay allowances for nurses and teachers, embark on developmental projects and yet, the party's Acting Chairman will be able to raise money to front for the purchase of buses.