Missing tricycles were over 1000 not 400 – NDC

The NDC has claimed the number of tricycles stolen from the Northern Development Authority’s NDA yard is more than the reported 400.

According to the party, over 1000 tricycles including some 756 two-wheeler motorcycles, nine rice milling machines and a block laying machine cannot be accounted for.

At a news conference addressed by the party’s Northern regional communication officer, Alhassan Abdul Mumin in Tamale, a seven Member Adhoc Committee, constituted by the Minister for Special Initiative to restructure the operations of the tricycle project revealed that there were about 5000 tricycles at the premises of NDA before the exit of the NDC government.

COMMITTEE

The Minister for Special Development Initiative, Hawa Koomson set up a seven Member Adhoc Committee to restructure the operations of the tricycle project which was facilitated by SADA and implemented as a private sector initiative under a company known as Unik Savannah Limited.

The responsibilities of the minister’s committee as contained in their appointment letters, according to the NDC was to ascertain the original stock and audit the undistributed stock, advise on allocation to beneficiary regions-the Northern, Upper East, Upper West as well the Northern Brong Ahafo and Northern Volta, Propose best model to use in the distribution of current stock bearing in mind (1) repayment (2) the building business capacity in the zone (3) equity and non-partisanship (4) independence of operations (5) the existing operational setup. Other duties of the Adhoc committee were, advice on roles of current Unik Savannah staff, the interim management and SADA, Propose mechanisms for the collection of repayments from previous and prospective beneficiaries and to review the current pricing of the remaining assets as well as those already distributed.

However, the committee in its findings, the NDC said, found out that, a total of 5000 tricycles, 800 Gacela Mapouka motorbikes and 480 Gacela crush helmets were imported from China. Out of the 5000 tricycles imported, 2,171 of them were sold. Out of the 1000 motorcycles, 800 Mapouka and 200 Kombian were sold.

The seven member committee also after conducting a physical count of all the items in the company’s premises including the warehouses and containers from which the goods were shipped found out that, 2,825 tricycles and 756 two-wheeler motorcycles were still in stock and unsold. The two-wheeler Motorcycles comprised of 710 Gacela Mapouka motorcycles and 46 Gacela Kombian motorcycles. Also in stock were 2,303 Gacela crush helmet.

The committee proposed that, of the total 2,825 tricycles in stock, 645 tricycles be given to the Upper East, 545 to the Upper West, 1,120 to Northern Region (including Savannah and North East), Northern Brong Ahafo was to receive 300 and Northern Volta 215. Meanwhile, those allocated for Northern Ahafo and Northern Volta have not been given and cannot also be accounted for.

According to letters shared with the media by the NDC, the Northern Regional Coordinating council received some consignment of the tricycles. In a letter dated August, 24, 2017 signed by the Chief Director of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Alhassan Issahaku on behalf of the Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, the RCC requested the release of the consignment of tricycles for the northern region to be deposited at the premises of the yard closer to the Goil filling station, lamashegu roundabout. Subsequently, a letter dated August, 24, 2017, same day the request was made, acknowledged receipt and agreed to take custody of the tricycle allocated to the council.

The former CEO of NDA Dr. Majeed’s written statement to the police CID indicted the Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed and the NPP Northern Regional Chairman, chairman Samba. He mentioned in his statement that, the duo have the knowledge of the missing tricycles and called for them to be investigated. According to the NDC’s, both the minister and the chairman received and sold over 1300 tricycles.

Of the 2,825 tricycles that disappeared from the NDA’s yard, the NDC said only save-link a company which was formed for the purpose of securing the contract for the tricycle project, has paid about 800,000 Ghana cedis out of an amount of 1,600,000 Ghana cedis. The money which was paid to SADA/NDA ADB account was made in three tranches. 250,000 cedis was paid on February 15, 2020 and 200,000 cedis and 3500,000 were paid on February 16, 2020. However, the rest of the tricycles apart from the 400 taken by save link have not been accounted for.

It would be recalled that in January this year there were reports of some 400 missing tricycles from the yard of the Northern Development Authority which led to the dismissal of the then CEO Dr Majeed after he reported the case to the Northern Regional CID to be investigated.