The Director in Charge of Policy Monitoring and Evaluation at the Presidency, Dr. Tony Aidoo has admitted buying a ford expedition for GHC 6,000.
In an interview on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, Dr. Tony Aidoo defended his purchase of a state vehicle at that price, accusing NPP members of doing same when in power.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) at a press conference yesterday, accused the Head of the Policy Evaluation and Oversight Unit of the Office of the President, Dr Tony Aidoo, of using his position to “grab” a 2005 Ford Expedition at a paltry sum of GHC 6,200.
The car, which according to the party, was part of former President Kufuor’s fleet of official vehicles, was bought on auction by Dr Aidoo and the money paid to Shargaw Ventures, a licensed auctioneer.
Dr. Tony Aidoo however justified the purchase by revealing that members of the NPP abandoned some state owned land cruisers at mechanical shops for close to six years thus reducing the value of the vehicles.
He said, “they are claiming that they have sense of public duty. That is it immoral for me to have bought a vehicle for GHC 60,000 and yet that vehicle has been allowed to stand at a private workshop for more than six years to deteriorate to the point at which an official private valuer will put the car at the cost at which I bought it.”
Dr. Tony Aidoo also admitted buying a Land Cruiser for GHC 6,200, two years ago which is valued at GHC 60,000.
Dr. Tony Aidoo denied abusing his office or being involved in any situation of conflict of interest in the purchase of the vehicle as the sale process was made public.
“I did not purchase the vehicle from any government agency, I purchased it from an auctioneer who had been given the right to sell the vehicle. A public auction is a public auction. There is evidence of advertisement on the vehicle. Everybody had the chance.”
Dr Aidoo added “my first time of knowing about the vehicle was through the Ghanaian Times when I saw the vehicle. My first contact with the vehicle was through the auctioneer who took me to where the vehicle was.”
Citifmonline.com
