News:
November 16, 2011
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has questioned the manner in which government handled money paid by the Gambian government to compensate the families of some Ghanaians who lost their lives in The Gambia.
According to the NPP, government has shown a lot of callousness, insensitivity and wickedness in the disbursement of the $500,000 earmarked for bereaved families of the Ghanaians who were murdered in The Gambia.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, on Tuesday stated at a press conference that his hands are clean and welcomes a probe into the issue.
However, speaking in an interview with Citi News, the Communications Director of the NPP and Member of Parliament of Okaikoi South, Hon. Nana Akomea said the expenditure is still outrageous even if it was audited.
“Why must the State organise the funeral for them, why didn’t the government give them the money so that they organise their own funerals,” Akomea asked.
“Ghana government has paid nothing to the bereaved families, the monies that came from Gambia, they only gave less than half of that money and they say that they are keeping $200,000 for them. Government should have organised the funerals for them [for free] and set up an endowment fund. ”
According to the NPP, the account of the disbursements of the amount as presented to Parliament by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on Thursday, November 10, 2011 shows betrayal and callousness on the part of government.
The 27 beneficiaries received GH¢10,000 each (or ¢100 million old Ghana cedis). The NDC government claims to have also spent a whopping GH¢25, 000. 00 (¢250 million) on refreshments for “600 people”. Government further claimed to have spent GH¢17,829. 00 (over ¢178 million) to hire carpet and decorative plants.
Further, government said it used GH¢25,000 (¢250 million) on “honorarium” and “other organizational” expenses. A further GH¢5,000 (¢50 million) was given to journalists who reported on the funeral.
Citifmonline. com