Mitsubishi pickup, motorbike missing from Education Ministry

The 2013 Auditor-General’s Report has revealed that a Mitsubishi Pickup vehicle and a motorbike have been missing from the Ministry of Education (MoE) since 2012.

The report indicated that the MoE contracted Messrs Shelter Mart and Complex, a licensed auctioneer and estate agent, to auction 32 vehicles and two jungle motorbikes in 2012.

However, it said, a Mitsubishi Pick-up, with registration number GV 1483 Q, and a motorbike, with registration number GT 7139 H, in the list could not be traced and, therefore, could not be auctioned.

Ministry of Education’s response

Answering a question on the missing vehicles at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting in Accra Tuesday, a Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Alex Kyeremeh, said the ministry tried to locate the vehicles but was unsuccessful and so it reported the matter to the police.

He said police investigations had revealed that the Mitsubishi Pickup was in the possession of Sergeant Kennedy Frimpong, the security aide to the Minister of Education in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, Professor Dominic Fobih.
Mr Kyeremeh said the police were yet to retrieve the vehicle from Sergeant Frimpong, as investigations were ongoing.

However, he said the ministry was still awaiting the police report on the motorbike.

PAC’s position

The Chairman of the PAC, Mr Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, said the PAC would have a meeting with the police to find out where they had reached with the investigations.

Overpayment

The report found out that the MoE had overpaid three companies by GHC13,679.49 for school projects.

Mr Kyeremeh said the ministry had retrieved the said amount from the three companies following the disclosure by the Auditor-General.