'Okada' replacement minicars cost GH¢2.5 million not GH¢85 million – CODA refutes claims

The Coastal Development Authority (CODA) has said it bought each of the 100 minicars meant to replace commercial motorbike operations (okada) at GHS25,000, thus, totalling GHS2.5 million and not GHS85 million as "falsely" reported by some digital media platforms.

CODA also denied claims the cars had been left to rot.

The Akufo-Addo government launched the CODA Drive Initiative in fulfilment of a 2020 campaign promise to replace okada bikes with the low-cost Bajaj Qute minicars on a hire-purchase basis.

CODA, in a statement, described the media claims as "palpably false, malicious, baseless, totally untrue and damaging just to cause disaffection for the Authority and government".

According to CODA, the first 100 cars were "oversubscribed" and the "constant requests" for more have been "impressive".

The Authority stated in "clear, unequivocal terms" that it "only procured 100 of the CODA Drive Vehicles at a cost of GH¢25,000.00 per unit, and a total cost of Two Million, Five Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedis (100 vehicles) and NOT Eighty-Five Million Ghana Cedis (GH¢85M) as propagated by Pulse.com.gh and some faceless people".