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The Chief of Staff Mr. Julius Debrah has, upon receipt of the Attorney General’s report on the spraying and branding of 116 new buses procured for the Metro Mass Transit Company Limited, requested the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to recover from Messrs Smartty’s Management Limited, a total of GH¢1.9 million, which is determined in the report to be excess payment made for the service rendered.

This statement follows controversies surrounding the re-branding of some 116 buses; a contract which was awarded to Smarttys Management and production.

Smarttys Management and Productions is owned by Selassie Ibrahim, an actress cum entrepreneur and TV personality. 

Experts analysing the cost of the contract has indicated that the GHC 3.6 million spent on the re-branding is outrageous and might have been inflated.

The Chief of Staff following the massive public outcry against the huge amount used for the rebranding, asked the Attorney General (AG) to probe the matter and submit her report to him.

The report was subsequently presented to Mr Julius Debrah.

Barely a day after the report was submitted, the Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor resigned "due to the current issues surrounding the branding of the 116 buses".

 A statement from the Flagstaff House on Thursday, indicated that "upon receipt of the Attorney General’s report on the spraying and branding of 116 new buses procured for the Metro Mass Transit Company Limited, requested the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to recover from Messrs Smartty’s Management Limited, a total of GH¢1.9 million, which is determined in the report to be excess payment made for the service rendered".

Details of Report

In her report submitted on Tuesday, the Attorney General, Mrs. Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong found that there were no cost comparisons to what was submitted by Smartty’s Management because of the method of procurement and the procedures used.

The procurement method, the report noted, did not also ensure value for money. Independent consultations made by the Attorney General with some leading motor firms in the country confirmed that the contract would have been executed at a cheaper cost if other bids were considered and price comparisons made.