President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo has denied claims that his government allegedly spent the COVID-19 funds recklessly.
According to him, the said Covid-19 funds were properly utilized for their intended purpose and have been accounted for.
Delivering the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on March 8, 2023, the President indicated the Covid-19 funds were not misappropriated as being communicated by some Ghanaians.
He said, “Nothing dishonorable was done with Covid-19 funds.”
In May 2022, Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin directed the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta to appear before the House to give a detailed account of all monies approved for the utilization of Covid-19-related expenditures.
This comes after concerns raised by the Minority side about a loan agreement between the Government of Ghana and the European Investment Bank (EIB) for an amount of Seven-Five Million Euros (€75,000,000) for the COVID-19 Health Response Ghana Project.
Kwaku Kwarteng, Chairman of the Finance Committee in a motion for the House to adopt the report of the Finance Committee stating the objective of the facility was to finance some of the health issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic that hit Ghana in 2020.
He said the loan facility which is priced would go a long way to help provide health infrastructure and related health services.
However, Casiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member on the Finance Committee criticized the government for failing to account properly to Parliament the monies approved for the utilization of COVID expenses.
He said the COVID-19 expenses were piling up and the House had also been called upon to borrow another €75,000,000 in addition to the original amount that the country spent.
-BY Daniel Bampoe