General News of Friday, 17 June 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-06-17Ken Ofori-Atta can run but you can’t hide – Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa 'mocks'
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP, North Tongu, has stated that Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, has been running away from accountability.
According to him, the minister has been making pathetic excuses anytime he is to account to the people of Ghana.
Ablakwa in a
Read full articletweet after Ofori-Atta failed to show up in Parliament said, “anytime Ken Ofori-Atta must account to the Ghanaian people through Parliament, he makes pathetic excuses & runs away.
“If it was an opportunity to engage in unconstitutional withdrawals of taxpayer funds, he would have proceeded with unholy alacrity."
He stressed, "he can run but he can’t hide.”
The Finance Minister was billed to appear before the House on Thursday to account for the government’s expenditure on Covid-19.
Despite earlier assurances from the leadership of the Majority group in Parliament, Ken Ofori-Atta on Thursday did not show up to render accounts on the Covid-19 funds.
Regardless of Ken Ofori-Atta’s failure to appear before the House, the Ministry is requesting the approval of a loan sum of 1 billion dollars in total.
The amount comprises 750 million dollars from the Afreximbank to finance capital and growth-related expenditures in the 2022 budget and a syndicated loan of 250 million dollars from a consortium of banks.
But Mr. Bagbin said the House will not accept the Finance Ministry’s request.
The Minority in Parliament recently said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must authorize a probe into Covid -19 spending if he has respect for the Constitution.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu while addressing the press in Parliament on Tuesday, May 31 said the 1992 Constitution was premised on probity and accountability.
“If President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has any respect for the tenets and values of accountability and transparency, then he should authorize a pubic probe or inquiry into how the over ¢19bn Covid monies were disbursed.
“We are further scandalized and we are calling on President Nana Akufo-Addo and reminding him that the 1992 Constitution is premised on probity and accountability and that if he has any respect for the values and integrity let him probe Covid spending,” he said.
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