Dr Bawumia Uses a Max of 7 cars – Veep’s office

The office of Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, has refuted claims that the Vice President has a convoy of 16 vehicles accompanying him on trips.

Following a threat by the former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Stephen Adei, to start a campaign against state officials to force them to reduce their convoy sizes, the Vice President was singled out as having a large convoy that inconvenienced regular road users.

Prof Adei cited a recent trip to Cape Coast in which he said the Vice President’s convoy consisted of 16 SUVs.

But the Veep’s office, in a statement, insisted that, Dr. Bawumia only used a maximum of seven vehicles on trips outside Accra and “on this particular trip to Cape Coast, the Vice President used a total of 7 cars.”

“The Office would like to make it clear that the Vice President and his team use a maximum of 7 vehicles on trips outside Accra and not 16. The 7 vehicles include a leading police vehicle, security detail, Protocol, the media team and an ambulance.”

The statement, however noted that, there were times the Veep’s convoy may be swelled by the addition of other state officials.

“It should, however, be noted that on many occasions (including funerals) while on a trip, several other people, including the Police Commander of the area, Ministers, MPs, MMDCEs, CEOs and party officials may decide to meet and accompany the Vice President on arrival.”

There have been several complaints from drivers in the country about the huge convoys which accompany senior, and sometimes lower-level state officials.

Many people have expressed displeasure with the cost of procuring and maintaining all the vehicles, while others are unhappy about the traffic that is created as a result.

Professor Adei, a courageous critic of public office holders, who spoke at the 20th-anniversary celebration of Morison and Associates, an international audit firm based in Ghana, said he planned to wage a “one-man crusade” if the situation persists.

“So far, the government is doing well, except that if you go to the right quarters, tell them that the next time I see Bawumia or any of them travelling with 16 four-wheel drives, occupying the two lanes, I’m going to do a one-man crusade. That must be stopped at once,” he said.

Find below the full statement

VICE PRESIDENT USES A MAXIMUM OF 7 CARS, NOT 16 FOR TRAVELS OUTSIDE ACCRA.

The attention of the Office of the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has been drawn to a recent media publication following comments by Professor Stephen Adei, former Rector of GIMPA, that the convoy of the Vice President on a recent trip to Cape Coast consisted of 16 SUVs.

The Office would like to make it clear that the Vice President and his team use a maximum of 7 vehicles on trips outside Accra and not 16. The 7 vehicles include a leading police vehicle, security detail, Protocol, the media team and an ambulance. On this particular trip to Cape Coast, the Vice President used a total of 7 cars.

It should, however, be noted that on many occasions (including funerals) while on a trip, several other people, including the Police Commander of the area, Ministers, MPs, MMDCEs, CEOs and party officials may decide to meet and accompany the Vice President on arrival.

Signed

Frank Agyei-Twum

Director of Communications

Office of the Vice President

Source: Citifmonline