Deputy Finance Minister, Kwaku Kwarteng, has revealed that some 86 Hyundai Gallopers abandoned at the Local Government Institute for many years will soon be auctioned.

“Given the rate at which those vehicles are deteriorating, we have made a decision to dispose of them...and that the government is looking to do that before the year ends. I can confirm the decision to dispose of the vehicles has been made and we will do so. All of us are concerned that the mere presence of those vehicles suggests to taxpayers that their monies won’t be put to good use,” he said.

The 86 vehicles were brought in to be used by District Chief Executives across the country under the Rawlings administration.

However, they have been abandoned for about 17 years because the then Kufuor government failed to distribute them to the various assemblies citing the absence of a written contract in their purchase.

Successive governments thereafter failed to reach an amicable settlement with the importers of the vehicles, African Automobile Company Limited, for them to be used.

The decision to auction the vehicles, according to Mr Kwarteng, was necessitated by the government’s apprehension over the perception the rotting vehicles will send to the taxpayer.

Speaking to Journalists Thursday in Accra, Kwarteng said a lot of the challenges relating to the vehicles which made past governments unable to distribute them for their intended purpose have been resolved.

“We feel extremely concerned about that and it is the reason we are taking steps to ensure that those vehicles are disposed of as soon as possible. The valuation is finished…once we know how much the vehicles cost we may do it through auction,” explained.