An Accra High Court on Wednesday gave 18 former Ministers seven days within which to pay the difference between the price they paid for the vehicles they bought on leaving office and the official valuation.
Mrs Justice Georgina Woode, Judge of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court Judge who gave the order said those who cannot beat the deadline should return their cars to the Registrar of the court.
Accordingly, she adjourned the case to Thursday, March 8.
Last week, the court granted an application for an interim injunction filed by the former Ministers challenging the legal basis of a release by the government on January 24, this year, ordering them to pay the difference or surrender their vehicles. The court, however, deferred till Wednesday, its decision on the time within which they were to comply with the order.
On January 24, the President directed that former government officials who have not settled fully the re-valued cost of their official cars, which were sold to them on leaving office, should surrender them to the State.
The former Ministers felt the President’s order was unlawful because they had a contractual agreement with the State to buy the official vehicles at concessionary rates. They therefore sought a perpetual injunction to restrain government from interfering with their ownership of the vehicles.
The Attorney General’s Office countered by applying for an order to preserve and detain the vehicles until the final determination of the matter.
The former ministers again applied for an interim injunction, which the court granted last week.
Earlier, Mr Bram Larbi, counsel for the former Ministers informed the court that Mr Mike Gizo, former Minister of Tourism has declared his unwillingness to pursue the matter since he has fully paid for his car.
This reduces to 18 the number of Ministers who are contesting the case at the court.
Source: GhanaWeb
