News:
Member of Parliament for North Tongu
December 17, 2021
The National Security Minister Albert Kan Dapaah has told Parliament on Friday, December 17, 2021 that the recent cost of official travels of President Nana Akufo-Addo in May to France, South Africa and Belgium cannot be disclosed.
According to him the funds comes under the operational cost of the Ministry and it has not been the general practice for such an amount to be disclosed to the general public and has been the practice in the intelligence community .
Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa wanted to know how much it costs the Ghanaian taxpayer on the presidents May travel.
But the North Tongu lawmaker contended that, that is not the case in other jurisdictions citing the USA congressional report which detailed coast of presidential travels and presented another report of the cost per hour of the Royal Family of the United Kingdom.
“Mr. Speaker, how does the Minister reconcile that in advance democracy, there are greater transparency?”
First Deputy Speaker who was chairing proceedings also sought to know if the North Tongu lawmaker had examples to give from Ghana, but that was not given.
The Minister noted, “by public policy consideration, the utilization of operation funds are not subject to any institution and are not normally disclosed or subject to any other institutions if disclosed in other jurisdiction is it because they are not paid from operational funds. The costs that were paid were from operational funds that is why it is difficult for me to disclose.”
“Mr. Speaker any presidential travel have national security implications such that any disclosure prior to during and after such travels has the potential of comprising the security of the entire state. I must bear with parliament to bear with my inability to make any disclosure on cost of presidential travels”
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com