Auditor-General petitioned to audit Gender Ministry over GH¢54.3m lockdown food money

Pressure group STRANEK-Africa has officially written to the Office of the Auditor-General to begin processes to specially audit the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection over the monies spent on dry food packs and cooked meals shared during the three-week lockdown in Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi.

The total amount of GH¢54.3 million was mentioned by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in last Thursday’s mid-year budget review.

The group described the amount as “colossal” and wrote for the Office to clear the state of shock it claims Ghanaians have been plunged into after Mr Ofori-Atta’s presentation.

Find the letter below:

Office of the Auditor-General,

Ministries Block ‘O’,

P.O. Box M. 96,

Accra-Ghana.

Dear Sir,

SPECIALLY AUDIT GH? 54.3 MILLION SPENT ON COVID-19 FOOD BY THE MINISTRY OF GENDER, CHILDREN AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

We write with regards to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection spending a colossal amount of GH? 54.3 million on dry food packs and cooked meals shared in Accra and Kumasi during the three-week lockdown period.

On July, 23, 2020, the Minister of Finance disclosed before Parliament this whooping amount whiles presenting the mid-year budget review of 2020 financial year.

We humbly request you to specially audit the amount spent on the Covid-19 food by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection since the country has been thrown into a state of shock, to ascertain in details what actually went into that amount.

We look forward to your expedited response in the name of public interest.

Yours faithfully,

Adjoa Tima Boafo

Director of Gender and Social Policy