Some staff of the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) have described as pathetic and disheartening, the allocation of Toyota Camry to Management and senior staff.
Staff of the entity, which is responsible for keeping and disbursing public funds, are unhappy that while deputy directors in other government agencies, including the Ministry of Finance are driving 4-wheel drive vehicles, their bosses are being compelled to drive Toyota Camry, a salon car.
At their annual conference in Mpraeso, a member of staff demanded Toyota Landcruiser Prado for the Management team.
“I don’t understand why a department like this, which is very powerful when it comes to finances, all our deputy controllers are using Camry.
“Meanwhile you go to Ministries, especially the Ministry of Finance and you see that deputy directors are using V8. It is very pathetic,” he said.
He continued “When you come to even regional level, you see some institutions, the directors are using V8 and others, are they better than us?” He asked.
He requested that the Controller and Accountant-General intervenes on their behalf in order to make their lives more comfortable.
“I am pleading that Controller – you do your best for us so that our deputy controllers, if not even V8, they should be given Prado. Our regional directors and the various directors at the head office should also be given Fortuners or any better car than the Camry and the pick-up,” he appealed.
But in response, the Controller and Accountant-General, Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem rejected the request.
According to him, the staff must make do with what they have.
He noted that the Toyota Camry supplied are new cars.
“If you listen to the last budget very well, the Finance Minister or President indicated that going forward even heads of departments are to use saloon cars for day-to-day work and then 4-wheel drive when you are going out of Accra. So we are trying our best,” he explained.
Mr Kwaning-Bosompem recalled an experience with the car he was allocated when he assumed office as a deputy Controller and Accountant-General.
“I was given some old Honda and on my way to my hometown, I got overheating on the way and it took me another three hours to move,” he narrated.
Source: myjoyonline