Dafeamekpor sues gov’t over auction of Kumasi Technical University vehicles

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the South-Dayi Constituency, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has sued the government over the auction of nine vehicles of the Kumasi Technical University.

The legislature contends that the sale of the vehicles, amounting to GH₵55,900 received approval from the Chief of Staff for public auction, which he said were contrary to Section 83 of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663).

He is, therefore, praying the court to order the government to reverse the auction sale and the ownership of the vehicles conducted on the December 22, 2020 at the Kumasi Technical University, and incur the cost involved, including legal fees.

While claiming that ownership of the vehicles, have been transferred to the purchasers, the MP is of the view that the right authority to approve the disposal of the said vehicles is the Minister of Education.

Such approval, he said, was to be done in consultation with the Board pursuant to Section 83 of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) and not the Chief of Staff.

The MP, through his lawyers led by Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, has, therefore, asked the court to declare that the Chief of Staff has no authority to approve the disposal of the nine vehicles.

He is also requesting that the court declares the auction as null and void as the approval to dispose of the vehicles was contrary to Section 83 of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).

Again, he is seeking for a declaration that no valid title has passed to the various purchasers at the auction sale conducted on December 22, 2020 at the Kumasi Technical University.

The nine vehicles                                                                                                

The nine vehicles involved in the court action include a Toyota Corolla with registration number GV-1585-14 acquired in the year 2013.
b. A Toyota Corolla with registration number GV-1579-14 acquired in the year 2013.

There are also four Tata Indigo vehicles, all of which were purchased in 2007. The registration numbers of the vehicles are a GV-1581-14; GV-1582-14; GV-1584-14, and GV-1592-14. In addition to these, is a Star Tata Bus with registration number GV-1308-20 acquired in the year 2007.

A Nissan Hard Body with registration number GV-1580-14 acquired in the year 2006, and a Nissan Primera with registration number GV-657-S acquired in the year 2001 are also part of the fleet of vehicles that were auctioned.

READ ALSO: MP Sues Govt For Abandoning Community Day Schools Project

This is not the first time that the South-Dayi MP is suing the government. About two weeks ago, the MP dragged the government before the law court.

The decision, according to Mr Dafeamekpor  was because of the failure of the government to complete some 200 Community Day Senior High Schools started under the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama administration.

In his writ, he submitted that the failure of the government to continue and complete the project to build the 200 community SHSs constituted a misuse and waste of public funds and property and contravention of Articles 35(7) and 41(f) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

A brief background

During the 2012 electioneering period, Mr Mahama promised to build 200 new Community Day SHSs in under-served communities across the country to enhance access to education.

However, the Mahama administration failed to complete all 200 Senior High Schools before the end of 2016, constructing about 46 school blocks before leaving office.

In February 2019, the then Education Minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh revealed that 21 more of the Community Day SHS projects had been completed since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo took office in 2017.

But the NDC Flag bearer insists the project has been abandoned, with many completed schools falling into gentle ruin.

On August 28, 2019, former President John Dramani Mahama slammed the Akufo-Addo government for abandoning the Community Day School project.

At the time, he had visited Mpaha Community Day School in the Yapei Kusawgu Constituency of the Savanna Region and other neighbouring schools and realised little had been done.