Ghana’s transport minister, Dzifa Attivor, has resigned amid public outcry over her ministry spending of 3.6 million cedis (about N188.5m) to paint more than 100 buses in national colours and with portraits of Ghana’s recent leaders.
According to Reuters, the branding by a private firm, involved respraying the imported passenger coaches and adding pictures of the country’s last four leaders, including current President John Mahama.
There has been a public outcry since last week against the deal with some citizens filing a court action against the government, demanding full disclosure of the contract, and this forced the presidency to set up an investigation panel.
“Dzifa Attivor, Minister of Transport wishes to inform the good people of Ghana that she has tendered in her resignation as Minister due to the current issues surrounding the branding of the 116 buses,” the transport ministry said on Wednesday.
Attivor’s resignation is the first by a Ghanaian minister in more than a decade and comes amid efforts by the Mahama administration to cut spending as it implements a three-year aid program with the International Monetary Fund to restore fiscal stability.
(Pictures of the outgoing Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor, and one of the buses lifted from Ghana’s citifmonline).
