General Secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia has said that the Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay bus buying move is a stinky act of corruption.
According to him, local banks do not have the capacity to offer him such an amount as a loan.
Speaking on Happy FM’s ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ show on the decision for NPP Chairman to guarantee for a $11 million loan facility for 275 buses for the NPP, Asiedu Nketia questioned the where Mr Blay got the money Freddie Blay has to be able to guarantee for such a loan.
He also wondered how a local bank could dole out such an amount to an individual as a loan in the name of procuring buses insisting that there are more questions to be answered in the whole matter.
“Just ask the banks whether they have the capacity to offer such an amount as a loan to just an individual or institution. If not, then how come NPP alone can get 11 million dollars” He quizzed.
He added that, “If about 18 months ago he was unable to pay GH¢250, 000 a court of competent jurisdiction has asked him to pay me for deformation, where did he get that money from to purchase 275 buses for his party.”
It could be recalled that an Accra High Court in February 2014 ordered the Daily Guide newspaper -A newspaper belonging to the NPP Chairman- to pay GH¢250, 000 and a cost of GH¢15, 000 to the NDC General Secretary for defamation.
Mr. Asiadu Nketia also indicated that there is no credibility in the statements from both the party and Mr. Blay concerning the purchase of the buses because none has been able to establish clearly how the whole process was done.
“There is no credibility in that testimony”, he said, adding that the whole transactions should be investigated.
It has emerged that Freddie Blay has facilitated the purchase of 275 buses for all NPP constituency officers across the country.
The NDC and some civil society groups have described Mr. Blay’s action as an act of corruption and called for an investigation into the matter.
By: Joseph Nii Ankrah.
