The Minority side in Parliament has challenged claims by the Public Affairs Unit of the House that it [the Minority] was yet to file a question on the expenditure returns of GHS280.3 million allocated for the coronavirus fight.
Parliament’s Public Affairs Directorate in a statement on Tuesday said it had not received any notice from the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Cassiel Ato Forson for a probe into expenses made under government’s Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP).
But according to the Minority Caucus, Parliament’s statement on the subject matter is “factually inaccurate”.
It’s leader, Haruna Iddrisu said the directorate failed to do its background checks and must be blamed for coming out with imbalanced reportage.
Haruna Iddrisu in the said statement insisted that the Ranking Member of the Health Committee, Kwabena Minta Akandoh, filed the motion in which Mr. Ato Forson referred to.
“It is therefore factually inaccurate for the Directorate of Public Affairs to suggest that the Hon. Ato Forson alleged that there was was a specific question on the expenditure returns amounting to GHS280.3 million. The import of the response to the question from the media was to draw attention to efforts by the Minority to ensure accountability of all monies voted under CAP,” the Minority replied in a statement.
Mr. Forson had reportedly claimed on Accra-based Joy FM that he filed the question during the partial-lockdown period.
These concerns from Mr. Forson had been highlighted earlier on Monday when he called on the Auditor-General to undertake a special audit into the GHS280.3 million that was allocated by the government for the provision of food, water and sanitation under the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP).
But Parliament from its statement said, there was no specific question on the GHS280.3 million on its file.
The statement however noted that Mr. Forson admitted he was yet to file the question.
“Upon further consultation with the Honourable Member [Cassiel Ato Forson], he indicated that he intends to file a question today [Tuesday] on the matter raised in the media. Once it is filed, it will be processed in accordance with the rules of the House,” Parliament added in its statement.
New constituency allegations
Parliament also noted that Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was alleged to have alluded to the creation of new constituencies in a presentation on May 20.
It refuted such claims saying “no such presentation has been made by the Majority Leader.”
But the Minority has also said the suggestions made by Parliament are false.
“The release from the Public Affairs Directorate also indicated that in a related matter, the majority leader was alleged to have alluded to the creation of the new constituencies on Friday 20th May, 20202 in his presentation of the Business Statement for the ensuing week. It must be indicated that the matter relating to the creation of new constituencies was never discussed at the said press conference.”
Click here to read the full statement from the Minority on the issue in question