A former presidential staffer is accusing the government of being dishonest in the purchase of brand new luxury cars for use by the presidency.

Clement Apaak claims the 43 bulletproof vehicles ordered by ex-president John Mahama few days before his exit were procured at the request of the incoming Akufo-Addo administration.

 “They made it clear the type of vehicles, the make of the vehicles, the type of functions that vehicles were supposed to perform were all decided by the then incoming NPP government.

“If today they have seen it fit, in spite of the obvious attempt to malign the erstwhile president Mahama NDC led government after we had seen the need to accede to their request because of our belief that governance is a continuum then what they can do is to apologise to ex-president Mahama,” he said.

He was responding to comments by the Information Minister Mustapha Hamid who confirmed early Tuesday that government had taken delivery of 34 bulletproof vehicles procured by the erstwhile Mahama administration.

The vehicles, 43 of them were procured few days before the exit of the former administration.

Mustapha Hamid

On the assumption of office, the new administration put a freeze on all last minute contracts signed by the previous government, including that of the luxury cars.

The new administration decided to hold on to the transaction pending further negotiations.

At a press conference, Tuesday, Mustapha Hamid announced the negotiations have been completed with the government saving at least ¢300,000 of the public purse.

Explaining the reasons why government accepted the vehicles, the minister said;

“That government is bound by the terms of the contract signed with Amalgamated securities Ltd. That abrogating the contract may incur significant liabilities for the government.

Instead of the 43 luxury vehicles, the previous government budgeted for, Mustapha Hamid said government decided to buy 34 of the vehicles, including 100 other Toyota Corrolla vehicles all at a cost of $8.8 million, an amount lower than $9.1 million agreed by the previous government.

But Clement Apaak says the claims by the government are not true.

He challenged the government to make public the details of the transactions and 100 vehicles bought from the same contract. When he was also challenged by the host of Joy FM's midday news Emefa Apawu to provide documentary evidence of the request by the NPP for the purchase of the vehicles, Apaak could not provide except to ask journalists to demand answers from the government in power.

He said Ghanaians cannot be “hoodwinked” by the government, insisting the NDC government has been consistent ever since the matter broke.

“Until government gives us specifics” the new arrangement should be discarded he suggested.