Ghana: Transport minister resigns over high-spending in branding public buses

The Minister of Transport of Ghana, Dzifa Attivor, has resigned after public outcry over outrageous cost of branding 116 public buses procured by government to improve transportation in the country.

Her resignation on Wednesday (December 23) comes hours after a report was submitted to the Chief of Staff by the Attorney-General tasked to review and investigate the details of the contract.

BREAKING: Transport Minister Ativor resigns over Metro Mass branding saga – SEE LETTER https://t.co/NXxlbLnRUV pic.twitter.com/xNmF6xjxiu

— #KasapaFM (@kasapafm) December 23, 2015

The transport minister’s resignation letter signed by her personal assistant was of gratitude to Ghanaians and the president for giving her the opportunity to serve as a minister. The main reason for her decision is not yet known and can’t be linked to the report which is not yet public.

The whistle was blown over the cost of the buses branding by the minority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, on the floor of Ghana’s parliament emphasizing that the cost was “naked thievery aimed at emptying the national coffers”.

The minority later called for a probe into the contract which the majority justified at the time citing the high cost of advertising in the country. Out of the 420 buses, 116 have been sprayed and branded at the cost of GHS 3.6 million (USD 939,582).

The project embarked upon by a private Ghanaian company (contracted by the Ministry of Transport) is for the branding of 420 buses with images of past presidents including the current president John Dramani Mahama.

Ghanaians were outraged by the cost of branding the buses and resorted to social media and mainstream media to pour out their frustration.

Citi973 JOYNEWSONTV are we #Ghana serious at all common branding of #MM buses cost this hopping money 3.4m Cedis. pic.twitter.com/eZEleMKf9k

— #PROUDLY_HAMMER⚒ (@lilmodulo) December 18, 2015

#CitiCBS So do they want to tell us that without branding those buses, they won't be able to move? Vision less & clueless Ghana. 😱😱😱

— Mawunya (@mawu_a) December 16, 2015

The president has however accepted the resignation of the minister.

.JDMahama accepts Dzifa Attivor’s resignation as Transport Minister |More here: https://t.co/fDWLFsbeP5 #CitiNews pic.twitter.com/ytwHJTf55y

— 97.3 Citi FM (Citi973) December 23, 2015