Akufo-Addo to spend GHC1.5bn on government machinery

The Minority in Parliament has revealed that the Akufo-Addo led government has budgeted over 1.5 billion Ghana cedis for 2017 on Government Machinery.

According to the Minority, the 1.5 billion Ghana cedi budgeted by government is unacceptable and contradicts the NPP’s message of moderate spending.

NDC MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah who raised the issue on the floor of the House slammed the NPP government for mistrust and deception.

According to him, the previous NDC government spent just 1.3 billion Ghana cedis from 2012 to 2016 on government machinery.

“An unprecedented allocation…a gigantic allocation in excess of 1.5 billion cedis has been made to the office of government machinery. To put this into perspective, in 2012 the office of government machinery was allocated only 236 million cedis, in 2013 only 312 million, in 2014 only 326 million, in 2015 only 453 million…if combine all those years…you will get just about 1.3 billion cedis, it doesn’t come up to the 1.5 billion allocated to the office of the government machinery,” Hon. Ablakwa said.

But his comments were rejected by the MP for Old Tafo and Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei.

According to Dr. Akoto Osei, the allocation to the Flagstaff House is huge because of the several new ministries created by President Akufo-Addo.

Dr. Akoto Osei added that the allocation will specifically aid in the execution of projects and programmes by the executive.