Freddie Blay
Richard Nyamah, the Spokesperson for the newly elected Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has dismissed reports that the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, is investigating his boss.
According to him, there is no official communication to Freddie Blay to indicate an ongoing investigation over his independent procurement of 275 mini busses to be given to each NPP constituency office across the country.
Citi News had reported that the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, had begun looking into the activities of Mr. Blay, who is also the Board Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) over the purchase of the buses.
But speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, Richard Nyamah said “As we speak, nothing has come to our notice. Information at our disposal is to the contrary and that there is nothing of that sort. Before you put out such information, you should have the records stated. If you are naming a faceless person in the office and the person cannot own up to their name, it is within my right to say it is merely speculation,” he said.
A source at the office of the Special Prosecutor explained to Citi News that Martin Amidu is of the view that, Mr. Blay is a public officer as a Board Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and also as a national officer of the governing party with influence, he falls under the Criminal offenses Act (1960) Act 29, and must therefore be questioned on his source of funding.
Richard Nyamah had said in an earlier interview that Freddie Blay was ready to subject himself to any such investigation.
“If the special prosecutor is minded to know the details, they should search for the contract document, read it, be sure of what they want and if they are not satisfied, they can invite us, and we will gladly make an appearance,” he said.
Mr. Blay has been widely criticized after he took delivery of the first batch of 100 minibuses at the Port on Wednesday, barely three days to the party’s national delegate’s congress in Koforidua.
Blay facilitated the purchase of the minibuses, and reportedly made a down payment of $3 million, which constitutes 30% of the total cost of 11.4 million dollars for the 275 cars.
Freddie Blay purchased buses with UMB loan – Spokesperson
According to Mr. Nyamah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman contracted a loan facility from Universal Merchant Bank(UMB), to procure the 275 buses.]
Mr. Nyamah said discussions were held with the NPP and that the party “agreed and okayed the deal.”
“He has gone into an agreement with a bank, where the bank will make a profit and the constituencies at the end of every month, would also get some payments in their accounts to pay the party at the constituency level.”
The buses will also remain under the name of UMB, “until the facility is fully paid,” he added.
“When the facility is paid off, the buses will be owned by the constituencies and ownership transferred to them.”
-Citifmonline