The Ministers mentioned in the Auditor General’s report for committing multiple violations relating to COVID-19 spending have been called for to be prosecuted, according to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NDC has also urged the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament (PAC) to “expedite its public hearings on this Special Audit Report into COVID-19 expenditures.” According to the NDC, the Special Prosecutor should look into and prosecute all Ministers and public officials who have been accused of wrongdoing and brought to justice.
In order for the Ghanaian public to follow and learn about how their government used COVID-19 monies, this hearing should be broadcast live on television.
Sammy Gyamfi, the party’s national communications officer, urged Parliament to compel the Auditor-General to use his surcharge and disallowance powers to recover all COVID-19 funds that were improperly applied or misused as a result of various infractions and actual criminal acts while speaking to the media on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at the party’s headquarters in Accra.
The party asked the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to require the Auditor-General to use his authority of surcharge and disallowance as part of requests for a series of steps on the report “retrieve all COVID-19 funds that have been misapplied or misused through various infractions and veritable acts of criminality”.
The party also criticized the usage of GHC10.3 million to pay for 10,000 frontline health workers’ special life insurance coverage without providing proof of a document proving the existence of a life insurance policy or a list of beneficiaries.
At the height of the epidemic, many questioned why some frontline health workers had died as a result of the hazards they faced.
In a following speech, President Akufo-Addo said that the government will offer life insurance coverage to all front-line healthcare providers.
The NDC, however, argues that given the lack of a policy document and list of beneficiaries, the arrangement that resulted in the acquisition of 30% life insurance cover from Enterprise Insurance was irregular and, as a result, smells of some shady trading.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com