MP Calls for Probe Into Freddie Blay's Purchase of 275 Buses

By Julius Yao Petetsi

THE Member of Parliament for the Bodi Constituency in the Western Region, Sampson Ahi, has called for a full-scale investigation into the procurement of 275 buses by the New Patriotic Party's Acting Chairman, Freddie Blay, for the governing party.

In line with his campaign promise to resource the party at the local level in the run-up to the upcoming National Delegates Conference of the NPP, 100 of the 275 promised buses docked at the Tema Harbour on Wednesday ahead of the internal party polls scheduled for tomorrow in Koforidua.

The move has raised eyebrows within the anti-corruption circles and Mr Ahi has joined that group calling for a probe into how the Acting Chairman who is aspiring to be elected as the substantive chairman got the money to procure the buses at US$11 million of which US$3 million down payment had been made.

Speaking with journalists in Parliament yesterday, Mr Ahi said the development offers President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the opportunity to justify the incorruptible tag on him by causing an investigation into the bus purchase.

"If Nana Akufo-Addo genuinely wants to fight corruption in this country, then this is a test case for him. If he really wants to fight corruption he must call for an investigation into this and establish where he (Blay) got the money to buy those buses," he demanded.

According to Mr Ahi, Mr Blay is not only the chairman of the governing party but doubles as the Board Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation; the state agency responsible for the exploration, licensing, and distribution of petroleum-related activities in the country.

Mr Ahi said it was important the income flow of Mr Blay was investigated to see if what he has been paid, since his appointment as the Board Chairman of the GNPC, could procure the 275 Toyota Hiace buses.

Reminded that Mr Blay has known businesses which could generate that money, Mr Ahi wondered why he never thought of buying the cars only to do so when he was made the Board Chairman of the GNPC as well as gunning for the chairmanship position of the governing party.

In his view, the purchase smacks of corruption and only a full-scale probe would put agitated minds at ease.

The buses, according to Freddie Blay's campaign team, are to be run commercially by the State Transport Company.

The move, they said, was to empower the various constituencies to make them financially independent from the party at the national level.

Mr Freddie Blay was a three-term Member of Parliament for the Ellembele Constituency and a former First Deputy Speaker between January 2005 and January 2009.

He was made the acting chairman of the then opposition NPP in 2015 when then chairman, Paul Afoko was suspended indefinitely.

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