Probe source of funding for Freddy Blay's $11million buses - Minority

The Minority in Parliament has called for a probe on how the acting national chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay was able to raise about $11million to purchase 275 buses for the party.

Mr. Blay has been widely criticized for taking steps to fulfill his promise of purchasing the vehicles, after he took delivery of the first batch of 100 mini buses at the Tema Port on Wednesday, barely three days to the party’s national delegate’s congress in Koforidua, where he’s contesting to become the substantive national chairman.

Related: Freddy Blay's buses for NPP arrive at Tema port

Mr. Blay, who facilitated the purchase of the mini buses, is reported to have made a down payment of $3million, which constitutes 30% of the total cost of $11.4 million for the 275 mini buses.

Mr. Blay’s spokesperson, Richard Nyamah has explained that the buses are not for free, and that they are to help the constituencies to manage their activities by themselves, and generate revenue by using them for commercial purposes, to pay for them over a two-year period.

He said Mr Blay secured a bank facility to purchase the vehicles.

Related: STC to manage Freddie Blay's NPP buses

But Mr. Freddie Blay’s close contender in the NPP chairmanship race, Stephen Ntim, has accused him of seeking to buy votes with the gesture, whereas others have questioned the source of the money, alleging possible corruption.

Read also: Stephen Ntim condemns ‘vote buying’ by Freddie Blay

Mr Samson Ahi, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Bodi for instance thinks that if President Akufo-Addo wants to show a commitment to the fight against corruption, then how Mr Blay was able to raise resources for the buses should be probed, considering that he was the board chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

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"This is a test case for Nana Addo. If Nana Addo wants to fight corruption in this country, what Honourable Freddy Blay has done is the test case for him, he should probe, he should conduct investigations into where he got these monies to procure 275 buses for 275 constituencies in this country... he is not a mere NPP national chairman, he is the board chairman of GNPC, state-owned corporation... so we should find out whether or not, since he was appointed up to date, his income can actually procure 275 buses," Mr Samson Ahi said.