Ghana’s new government has set up a special task force to track down more than 200 missing vehicles that should have been handed back when President Nana Akufo-Addo took office.

Presidency spokesman Eugene Arhin told reporters on Wednesday that an audit of vehicles indicated that many appeared not to have been returned.

He said officials could only find: 74 of the presidency’s 196 Toyota Land Cruisers, 20 out of 73 Toyota Land Cruiser Prados, 11 out of 24 Mercedes, two out of 28 Toyota Avalons and two out of six BMWs.

“The president of the republic currently has virtually only one vehicle at his disposal,” said Arhin.

“This is the vehicle which was purchased in 2007 during the Ghana at 50 celebrations. It is a BMW.”

The vehicles were assigned to former government officials and appointees under the previous administration of president John Dramani Mahama, whom Akufo-Addo beat in elections last December.

Presidency chief of staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare said in a statement that the retention of state assets was illegal.

“Persons with state properties unlawfully in their possession should endeavour to contact the task force and make arrangements to surrender (the) same with immediate effect,” he added.

There was no immediate response from Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) party but the party faced a similar situation when it took power in 2008. (AFP)

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