PIAC to partner Special Prosecutor, EOCO to probe non-existent oil funded projects

The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), says it will collaborate with the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) as well as the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate non-existent oil funded projects in the country which budgets were approved for.

PIAC has published a list of some 61 projects purportedly constructed in various parts of the country, but are non-existent.

Speaking at a three-day workshop organized for journalists in Ho, Chairman of PIAC, Dr. Steve Manteaw stressed that the disappeared or misused monies must be found.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aGai24a5uruMY9LRJQXGM03AYcUWpVMw”]“What we decided to do as a committee is to try to collaborate and work closely with state accountability institutions like EOCO, Special Prosecutors office, BNI, CID and the rest. The particular cases that we may be referring in the nearest future would be the non-existent oil funded projects and also those that have been shoddily executed and which actually indicate clearly that there’s been some short-changing of the state,” he added.

Reckless use of funds impeding Ghana’s development

Dr. Steve Manteaw had earlier complained that  the vision of moving Ghana beyond aid will not be achieved if funds allocated for development projects are not used appropriately.

The government in 2017 allocated GH¢2.2 million on physical infrastructure in the education sector, but not a single project was constructed, Dr. Manteaw said during a public forum organised by PIAC in the Wa East District Capital, Funsi, in the Upper West Region.

According to Manteaw, the percentage of oil money allocated to support development projects from 2011 to 2017, could catapult Ghana beyond aid, but several projects reported to have been executed did not exist, while some funds had also been wrongly used.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citinewsroom.com/Ghana