Dr Steve Manteaw and Emmanuel Kofi Buah – Ex Petroleum Minister
IT HAS emerged that the erstwhile Mahama-led NDC government expended a whopping sum of GH?1,607,037 oil cash on consultancy service alone for the construction of office building for the Ministry of Transport.
The amount comes from GH?110,656,071 of the oil revenue earmarked for transport infrastructure from 2011 to 2016.
Chairman of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), Dr Steve Manteaw, who made the disclosure at a public forum at Goaso in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region, questioned the justification of such spending on consultancy.
He wondered why it cost the nation GH?1,607,037 for consultancy services when administration block and auditorium complex for the ministry cost GH?1,982,320.
“I am sure you are all in the same boat with me. It’s curious and interesting, but your guess is as good as mine. Even GH?3,649,044 out of the transport infrastructure amount was squandered on bus branding,” he revealed.
On agriculture modernisation, Dr Manteaw said out of GH?357,063,439.91 earmarked for the purpose, the Mahama administration spent GH?180,614,691.47 on costal protection facilities in fishing communities.
“How does this contribute to agriculture modernisation?” he asked rhetorically and continued, “It is incumbent on state officials to use the oil revenue for the intended purpose and priority areas.”
He said the government spread the oil money over 500 projects across the country to the detriment of priority areas selected, arguing that such action only goes to undermine the purpose for such funds.
The PIAC chairman called for audit of the Ghana Education Trust (GET) Fund to determine where proceeds from the trust fund were put to use since GH?70,992,432 spent on educational infrastructure came from oil cash.
“Let us all demand accountability because GH?83,000,000 oil revenue was given to the GET Fund in 2015, a trust fund that is supposed to take care of educational infrastructure.”
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Goaso-B/A