News:
Alexander kwamena Afenyo-Markin
February 23, 2022
Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin has said the Majority side is not against accountability and transparency in a bi-partisan parliamentary enquiry into the expenditures made by the Ghana Government in relation to COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
According to him what his side wants is that the due process would be followed as what the Minority is seeking to do is the job of the Auditor-General by the constitutional dictates of Article 187of the 1992 constitution.
And further added at a press conference he addressed on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 after the first Deputy Speaker, Joseph Osei-Owusu dismissed a private members motion 21 which seeks that the House constitutes a bi-partisan parliamentary Committee chaired by a Member of the Minority Caucus to enquire into the expenditure made by Government of Ghana in relation to COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin further told members of the Parliamentary Press Corps their colleagues in the Minority are being over partisan in a way to prepare towards election 2024 as democracy respect the rule of law, “that is the only way democratic principles can be sustained, we cannot do it as and when it is suitable to us”.
Again, public expenditure is a matter of public record and Parliament approves certain facilities, “there is no way in this day and age with the GIFMIX system government can spend and hide, no matter what, the Auditor General would have a look at it”, he said.
“What is the difference between enquiry and audit? I think audit is a proper step to take to unravel irregularities. All their argument is on irregularity; thanks to the first Deputy Speaker for his ruling”.
Responding to questions from journalists in Parliament, the Deputy Majority Leader cautioned them not to fall into the trap where someone is talking about COVID-19 expenditure as the Auditor-Generals report expenditures on COVID-19 can be verified.
“You do not need to prepare a separate account report on COVID. Our colleagues are just being mischievous”. As to the oversight responsibility of parliament, he emphasised that when the AG is done with his work, the report would be sent to Parliament, and Public Account Committee has the mandate to set up a Committee to look into the report and other matters would flow from there.
“We should move one step at a time, we are not blocking them, we think they want to side-step the powers of the Auditor General; they want to create the impression that there is some issue of no clarity in some expenditure which we think it is unfair”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com