The Northern Regional executives of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has on Tuesday 25th February 2020, held press conference over the leadership of Northern Development Authority inability to account for over 1000 tricycles machines
The Northern Regional Communication Officer of NDC, General Amin who read the statement on behalf of the party has once again accused the northern regional minister Salifu Sa-eed and the northern Regional chairman of NPP Mohammed Bantima Samba,of received and sold over 1300 tricycles.
“As we speak now the two bigwigs have not made any payment to NDA’s account even though the tricycles were sold on cash all, he stated.
Read the full statement below:
A PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS ON THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY’S INABILTY TO ACCOUNT FOR OVER 1000 TRICYCLES
Good morning friends from the inky fraternity. We are grateful you have honoured our invitation at such a short notice.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, the purpose for today’s News conference is to highlight very pertinent issues regarding the management of the Northern Development Authority (NDA), formerly Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA). It would be recalled that there were reports of some 400 missing tricycles from the yard of the authority leading to the dismissal of the then CEO Dr Majeed. Ironically, Dr. Majeed who reported the alleged theft at the authority and cited the Northern Regional Minister Salifu Saeed and the Regional Chairman of the NPP Samba, was rather fired leaving the accused persons.
Today we intend to establish, with documents that there are more than thousand tricycles, including Mapouka and Kombian motorbikes that cannot be accounted for at the moment. We would also show how the Northern Regional Minister Salifu Saeed and NPP Chairman Samba are both complicit in the NDA capture.
FACTS.
The Minister responsible for Special Development Initiative set up a seven Member Adhoc Committee to restructure the operations of a tricycle project facilitated by SADA and implemented as a private sector initiative under a company registered at the Register General’s Department as Unik Savannah Limited.
The responsibilities of the committee as stated in the letters of appointment are
- Ascertain the original stock and audit the undistributed stock.
- Advise on allocation to beneficiary regions-the Northern, Upper East, Upper West as well as other communities i.e. 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 set up.
- Advise on roles of current Unik Savannah staff, the interim management and SADA.
- Propose mechanisms for the collection of repayments from previous and prospective beneficiaries.
- Review the current pricing of the remaining assets as well as those already distributed.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media, the committee in its finding revealed 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
UNSOLD STOCK
To determine the unsold stock levels of tricycles and motorcycles of the company, the committee conducted a physical count of all these items in the company’s premises including the warehouses and containers from which the goods were shipped. The physical count revealed 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. There were 2,303 Gacela crush helmet.
ALLOCATION OF UNSOLD (CURRENT) STOCK TO REGIONS
The committee came out with the following model for allocating the current stock (2,825) to the regions.
645 tricycles were allocated for the Upper East, 545 earmarked for the Upper West, Northern Region was allocated the highest number of 1,120, Northern Brong Ahafo was supposed to receive 300 and Northern Volta taking 215.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we are reliably informed that the Northern Regional Coordinating council received its share of the tricycles. A letter dated August, 14, 2017, acknowledged receipt and agreed to take custody of the tricycle allocated to the council after a previous letter dated August, 24, signed by the Chief Director of the Regional Coordinating Council Alhassan Issahaku on behalf of the Regional Minister Salifu Saeed, requesting 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. We would make available the letters to you.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, with the above information on the committee’s report it is clear that there are more than1000 tricycles including some 756 two-wheeler motorcycles, nine rice milling machines and a block laying machine cannot be accounted for. Again, it is clearly established that the RCC received its consignment of 1,120. We therefore want to know when and how the RCC’s consignment was distributed and whether monies have been paid to NDA’s accounts.
NPP CHAIRMAN AND REGIONAL MINISTER’S COMPLICITY IN THE 400 MISSING TRICYCLES.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the former CEO of NDA Dr. Majeed’s written statement to the police CID indicted the Northern Regional Minister and the NPP Northern Regional Chairman Samba. He categorically mentioned that the two knew the whereabouts of the missing tricycles and called for them to be investigated.
Ladies and gentlemen, reliable information available to us indicate the minister and chairman samba also received and sold over 1300 tricycles. As we speak now the two bigwigs have not made any payment to NDA’s account even though the tricycles were sold on cash. Only save-link a company which was horridly 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. Our checks revealed that, the payments were made in three tranches to the ADB accounts of SADA/NDA. 250,000 cedis was paid on February, 15, 2020 and 200,000 cedis and 3500,000 were paid on February 16, 2020.
Ladies and gentlemen, we wish therefore to request the following;
- The police CID should make public the written statement of the former CEO of NDA Dr. Majeed and also furnish the public where it has reached in the investigation of the missing tricycles.
- The RCC should provide details on the consignment of tricycles for the northern region which was deposited at the premises of the yard closer to the Goil filling station, lamashegu roundabout.
- The Northern Regional Minister and the NPP Northern Regional Chairman Samba should as a matter of urgency pay monies accrued from the sale of their share of the tricycles or return the tricycles to NDA yard
Source:AlhassanYakubu | www.Diamondfmonline.com |Ghana
