Deputy Chairman in Charge of operations for the NCCE, Samuel Akuamoah has dismissed claims that his outfit owns the over 50 Mahindra 4×4 vehicles branded in NDC colours.
There have been reports in the media that claim over fifty (50) pickup vehicles belonging to the Commission have been re-branded to support the NDC’s campaign for the impending examination which promises to be keenly contested especially between the NDC and the largest opposition NPP.
He said the Commission does not ask the government for vehicles to perform its duties and has records to prove that it has not used Mahindra vehicles ever in its history.
“If it is true that they belong to us and there is proper documentation to prove that, then maybe there is a kind donor somewhere who wants to donate them to us and maybe they have found their ways somewhere else, we don’t know,” Mr. Akuamoah added.
He made an appeal to the media and the general public that if anybody has information that the vehicles belonged to the NCCE and have been ‘stolen’ or diverted by somebody “help us to get them back because we need vehicles for our work.”
According to him the NCCE have vehicles that can be mobilized for work, but still have a gap that needs to be bridged.
This NDC branded vehicle saga led to the arrest of the Managing Director of Marbles and Granites- Dr. Edmund Ayo Ani by the order of the National Security Advisor to the President, Alhaji Baba Kamara last Wednesday on suspicion of taking and circulating pictures of the Mahindra 4×4 on social media.
Pictures of the Mahindra vehicles allegedly meant for the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) but branded in the colours of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) with pictures of President Mahama printed on them went viral on social media, somewhere last week and were spotted at a location along the Spintex Road in Accra where they were being kept and rebranded.
Other Mahindra vehicles were also captured on video being driven on the Kintampo-Kumasi highway.
However, members of the NPP believe there is more to it than what Ghanaians are being told about the vehicles.
At a press conference in Accra three days ago, the Director of Communications for the NPP Nana Akomea, wondered “why if the NDC had genuinely bought Pick-ups for their campaign, people will be detained and questioned by the BNI on suspicion of having taken pictures of the vehicles.”