Dr Bawumia better and will soon resume work - Minister

Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is doing well on his medical leave and would return soon to resume his duties, Information Minister Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has disclosed.

He said very senior government officials had been in constant touch with the Vice-President since last Friday when he was flown to a hospital in the United Kingdom on his doctor’s advice, after he took ill.

"We wish to report that he is doing very well... God willing, he will be back shortly to resume his duties," the minister disclosed at a press conference in Accra on Monday.

The media briefing was to address pressing national issues that occurred over the weekend, including security situation in the country.

Touching on the attack on the Kwabenya Police Station Sunday's dawn by an armed gang that freed suspected armed robbers in custody, leaving an officer dead, Mr Abdul-Hamid stated that government took a serious view on the situation and would spare no effort to bring the culprits to book.

"Government condemns the criminal conduct of these elements in the strongest possible terms. There is a manhunt for these criminal elements, and we have no doubt in our minds that they will be brought to face justice."

The Minister assured Ghanaians that the security agencies were working assiduously and had instituted preventive mechanisms to ensure the general safety of the population, calling on the media and the public to co-operate fully with the police in exposing criminal elements and related activities.

He assured of government's commitment to resourcing the security agencies to carry out their duties efficiently and effectively.

On the debt owed GETFund contractors by government, Mr Abdul-Hamid stated that government had settled the bulk of its indebtedness to the contractors.

He explained that out of the GH¢1.6 billion government owed to contractors, GH¢838 million was what was due GETFund contractors, out of which GH¢470 million had been paid out to them.

The outstanding bill of GH¢367 million would be cleared in due course, he said.

The Minister further debunked information purported to have been released by the Controller and Accountant-General, Eugene Ofosuhene, that January salaries of public sector workers would be delayed.

"I wish to state that it is fake news, and should be disregarded. The Controller and Accountant-General sent payment advice of public sector workers to their various banks last Friday, January 19, 2018," he said.