MMT Bus Branding Saga: Labour Cost For Stickers Inflated By Over GHC220,000
The controversy surrounding the branding of branding of 116 new intra-city buses has taken a murkier twist as it has emerged that labour cost for stickers was inflated by GHC220,400
A detailed pro-forma invoice from the company contracted to brand the buses, Smartty’s Management and Productions, quoted GHC2,000 as the labour cost for the stickers for each bus, thus bringing to GHC232,000 the total amount on all buses.
However, the company sub-contracted by Smartty’s to fix the stickers has come out to deny the claims, and revealed that it charged only GHC100 per bus as labour cost for the stickers, a worker from the company told an Accra-based Joy FM on condition of anonymity Friday morning. This brings to GHC11,600 for the 116 buses.
According to man, a worker of Smartty’s approached them to do the fixing of the stickers since they are noted for doing a better job. He said they consequently did a sample which met the requirements hence was subcontracted to do the job after negotiations on the price which came to GHC100 a bus.
He revealed they have up to date not been paid the full amount owed them by Smartty’s.
It emerged this week that the government spent an outrageous GHC3, 649, 004 [That is GHC3.6 million per bus] from the Ghana oil funds to re-branding the 116 Metro Mass Rapid Transit buses; something that has attracted hue and cry.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff on Friday directed the Attorney General “to review the contract and associated payment(s)”, which has also been questioned by the minority in Parliament.
A letter dated December 17, 2015 gave the Attorney General, Marrieta Brew Appiah-Oppong, up to December 21, 2015 to submit its findings.
