While the debate over the mandatory towing levy continues, a video has emerged in which President John Mahama in December 2016, assured Chairman of Jospong Group that he will ensure his company secures the contract.
The public is demanding answers to how government awarded a contract binding all motorist in Ghana to pay a mandatory towing levy beginning July 1, 2017.
The contract was signed based on LI 2180, passed in 2012. The law was given five years fallow period after which it would jump to life in 2017. It appears the Jospong Group, whose subsidiary won the bid, may have had presidential endorsement to the 20-year lucrative contract that will see the Road Safety Management Limited and its allied companies pocket 85% of the levies.
Before President John Mahama left office, he attended the 10th anniversary of Zoomlion where he dropped hints about a controversial plan to charge every motorist a mandatory levy for towing.
"I am urging him [Joseph Siaw Agyepong] not to abandon that idea... we will come back to it to see how we will improve towing services", he said in December 2016, a few days to the general elections.
"We will still visit that particular business", he repeated the assurance.
Some operators in the vehicle towing sector have accused the National Road Safety Commission and the Road Safety Management Services Limited of 'stealing their concept' which they had developed about five years before the formation of the Jospong company.
Public criticism has been growing against the plan. Some question why motorists must be compelled to pay for a service they may never use.
They argue that even National Health Insurance Scheme is not mandatory. Others have also raised questions about the credibility of the company which has been awarded the contract.
On Newsfile last Saturday, the Vice President of IMANI Ghana and private legal practioner, Kofi Bentil, said the Jospong Group was a "problematic business conglomerate" which failed to perform creditably in "almost every contract awarded to it."
But the National Road Safety Commission insists mandatory towing is the only way to ensure the roads are free of wreckage.
Jospong Group of Companies' corporate reputation is questionable. The World Bank placed a ban on Zoomlion Ghana Limited for two years over alleged bribery in Liberia.
Another subsidiary, Better Ghana Management Services Limited, had its contract with government terminated after a damning corruption report in the Youth Employment Programme.
Despite this background, President John Mahama at the 10th anniversary of Jospong Group of Companies was emphatic;
"I wish to assure you that as long as I remain president, government will give your company every support [for you] to continue to grow".
video below-
Source: myjoyonline.com
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As much as, every Ghanaian needs to be safe on the roads, does not mean that an obnoxious law will be used to squeeze out hard earned cash from the people. Mr. President we are happy you have listened to the voices of the voiceless. Thank you. This is the change many of us voted for. The obnoxious law has to be scrapped entirely. There are better alternatives to solving this issue of breakdown vehicles on the highways. The Government only needs to consult the experts. Anyway what is the NPP Government doing about the High insurance premium rates? Ordinary Drivers are suffering. Review the rates!
THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED IN PARLIAMENT INTO LAW BY THOSE GREEDYYYY PARLIAMENTARIANS AT THE TIME. NDC AND MAHAMA USED THEIR MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT TO PASS THE BILL. THE ONLY THING NPP CAN DO NOW IS TO HOLD THE IMPLEMENTATION, PREPARE A NEW COUNTER BILL AND PRESENT TO PARLIAMENT TO REVERSE OR AMEND IT. ON THE CONTRARY, SOMEONE OR GROUP OF PERSONS CAN PETITION THE COURTS TO RESTRAINT THE IMPLEMENTATION WHILST THE BILL IS LOOKED INTO.
Daring drivers who broughtyou to power???? ohhh pls this is slippery road to tread npp.look sharp. definefitely a major campaign tool and we shall all fall for it trust me though i voted npp. make the mistake and implement if you claim there is corruption in it.....does it really make it???
Npp government is the funniest government ever. If an incompetent president told someone not to abandon something he initiated and you call yourself competent, do you come and implement it and turn around to tell Ghanaians Mahama started it, then where lies you competence. The npp should know that Ghanaians are getting smarter by the day, and so the era of always blaming Mahama for your woes is over. The reason people voted massively for you is because they thought you would do better, but to come and still shift every problem to John Mahama is pure fuuullishness.
We call it Create Loot and Share. Motorcycles to pay towing levy? Incredible