Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu hits back at critics over $28m car loan for MPs

Member of Parliament(MP) for Suame constituency, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has hit back at critics who think the loan agreement for the purchase of cars for MPs is a ‘misplaced priority.’

A number of critics especially on social media have described as ‘misplaced’ a loan agreement for the purchase of vehicles for Members of Parliament.

Two loan agreements for the purchase of the cars for the MPs and the Members of the Council of State; $28 million and $3.5million respectively were laid before Parliament on Wednesday by the Deputy Minister of Finance, Mrs Abena Osei-Asare on behalf of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

The two agreements which have been referred to the Finance Committee for consideration is expected to be approved this month.

The Majority leader who was speaking in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s morning show ‘Kokrokoo’ questioned why no one raises issues with the purchase of vehicles for Ministers and other government appointees but only MPs.

“So does it mean the MPs shouldn’t go for a loan to buy cars or they shouldn’t get cars to work with at all,” he asked the critics.

“The state already buys two cars for Ministers; a saloon car and 4×4, give them drivers, give them fuel, service the cars; all at the expense of the state.

“The same applies to the Justices, no one complains . . . but when it comes to MPs . . . what we wanted was for government to treat the MPs the same as MMDCEs and Ministries department and agencies, the judiciary and the executive…”

Answering why the MPs opted for specifically landcruisers and not any other car, the Majority leader said, “even though there are other options, the Landcruiser is more robust”.