The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu constituency in the Volta Region, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has questioned the reasoning behind government’s decision to make provision for only two staff of the Office of the Special Prosecutor in the 2021 budget.
Mr. Ablakwa described the decision as shocking.
“I hope the Akufo-Addo Administration isn’t shutting down the Office of the Special Prosecutor or is it the case of a costly error?”
“Whereas the 2020 budget made provision for an OSP staff strength of 251 (see page 234 of 2020 budget); the 2021 budget presented to Parliament shockingly provides for only two (2) employees at the OSP (see page 242 of 2021 budget).”
Meanwhile, he has urged the government to quickly rectify the anomaly if it’s an error.
“I am inclined to assume Government made an error. If that is the case, the error should be quickly rectified and Ghanaians told the true 2021 staffing situation at the OSP.”
The North Tongu legislator took to his social media pages to express his disappointment on the issue.
The 2021 budget was presented to Parliament today, Friday, March 12, 2021, by the Majority Leader and the caretaker Minister for Finance Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
Below is Mr. Ablakwa’s full post
I hope the Akufo-Addo Administration isn’t shutting down the Office of the Special Prosecutor or is it the case of a costly error?
Whereas the 2020 Budget made provision for an OSP staff strength of 251 (see page 234 of 2020 Budget); the 2021 Budget presented to Parliament today shockingly provides for ONLY TWO (2) employees at the OSP (see page 242 of 2021 Budget).
I am inclined to assume Government made an error. If that is the case, the error should be quickly rectified and Ghanaians told the true 2021 staffing situation at the OSP.
Already, President Akufo-Addo’s anti-corruption rhetoric lies in ruins and has been further worsened by the embarrassing Domelevo forced-retirement-debacle. Many, since agree with governance czar Prof. Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi that President Akufo-Addo’s anti-corruption credibility is in tatters.
As I noted in Parliament the other day, the Akufo-Addo Government is in urgent need of a corruption vaccination. Discoveries of this nature in Government’s own principal official document even if in error would only confirm how little or no attention is being paid to the fight against corruption.
I shall highlight more troubling revelations from the 2021 Budget shortly. Best of the weekend.