The Micro-finance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) has told Citi News, it is has begun processes to review downwards the prices of some vehicles that were imported for the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).
Some 350 vehicles, including buses, were procured in 2016 by the scheme through hire purchase for members of the GPRTU.
But the vehicles are however not in use following a disagreement over the prices.
Speaking to Citi News, Public Relations Manager of MASLOC, Fred Offei-Addo says MASLOC hopes to make the vehicles affordable for purchase by members of the GPRTU.
“We have had series of meetings with the President. The Finance Ministry has taken their last lapse to review everything before them and hopefully next month they are going to give us the approval so that we can proceed and engage GPRTU if they will be interested in the new prices. “
On a recent tour of some bus terminals, the former President, John Mahama urged MASLOC to release the vehicles under an arrangement to members of the GPRTU.
“The NDC procured some buses under MASLOC but there seem to be some pending issues and the buses are still there. I will like to plead with the government to revisit that issue and asked those in charge to release the buses so that the drivers can use it to convey people around. When the cars are not used, they begin to rot away after lying idle for so long,” he said.
The Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Stephen Amoah earlier described former President John Mahama’s call as deceptive propaganda.
Mr. Amoah said he was shocked by Mr. Mahama’s comments and stated that the challenges with the vehicle trace back to actions by the Mahama administration.
“…It is only deception and propaganda. With all respect, I beg him. He shouldn’t go on always saying these things.”
There are concerns that the prices of some 350 vehicles procured by MASLOC’s Hire Purchase Scheme for members of the GPRTU in 2016 were grossly inflated.
Now, most of the vehicles lie idle because of the cost concerns.
The suggestions of rot at MASLOC has seen its former Chief Executive Officer, Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, charged with 78 counts of stealing and causing financial loss to the State.
She has however pleaded not guilty to the charges.
