News:
May 23, 2013
Member of Parliament for Ayensuano, Samuel Aye-Paye has questioned the propriety of the Ministerial Committee set up to investigate allegations of corruption in the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (GYEEDA).
According to him, it would have been more prudent if existing institutions with capacity to undertake thorough investigations like the Auditor General’s Department was employed to carry out the exercise.
Investigations by Accra based radio station Joy FM have revealed government pays Zoomlion GHS500 for each beneficiary. But the government has signed a contract with Zoomlion which allows the company to keep GHS400 of that money as management fees.
This revelation was part of Manasseh Azure Awuni’s investigative report into how questionable contracts government has signed with some service providers are robbing the nation of millions of cedis while beneficiaries’ service conditions worsen.
However contributing to a discussion on Net 2 Television on Thursday, Hon. Samuel Aye-Paye emphasized the need for specialized state institutions to be put to good use instead of spending tax payers’ hard earned monies to set up investigative committees.
“The Auditor General could have been easily instructed to investigate this issue and present its report to the President or the Public Account Committee of Parliament for onward determination instead of setting up another committee,’’ he added.
He noted that over the years previous committees that have been established by government to investigate corruption issues involving state officials have their findings not made public, while culpable officials are left off the hook.
Hon. Samuel Aye-Paye asserted that such committees are money making ventures set up just to put monies in the pocket of party members, as whatever decision they arrive at whether conclusive or not are made public and implemented.
Kwadwo Anim/Ghanamps.gov.gh