GH¢800K Website: Are we mad? - Minister asks

Madam Mavis Hawa Koomson has broken her silence about the controversial GH¢800,000 proposed budget for a website development indicating that the quoted figure was a typo error.

Parliament has approved a total budget of GH¢71, 059, 970.00 for the operations of the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives in the ensuing year.

But one item that took centre stage of public discussions is the proposed GH¢800,000 for the development of the website the Minister has disclosed that it was a typo error and that the real amount was GH¢80,000.

On Accra-based Starr Fm, she said: “How on earth can we use GH¢800,000 for just a website? Are we mad? To be frank with you when I heard the report I called the budget officer only to realise that it was a typo,” she told Starr Today’s host Naa Dedei Tettey.

She continued, “how on earth can we use GH¢800, 000 for this Ministry’s website? What kind of website are we building? Please it is not GH¢800, 000…it was typo error.”

The Minister believes a ranking member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Cassiel Atto Forson leaked the error-ridden proposed budget for political equalization.

“He is a ranking member and he was there the day the expenditure was presented to his committee…why didn’t he probe us there if truly he saw it? Because he wanted to make mischief…and equalisation because NDC has been tagged as corrupt,” she said.

There was a hue and cry among a section of Ghanaians over a proposition from the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives to spend GH¢800,000 approximately $200,000 in designing a website for the Ministry as contained in its 2018 proposed budget.

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu Constituency, who has raised concerns over the figure described it as outrageous and pure corruption.

“The corruption in this government is unbelievable. 800,000 cedis, about $200,000 for website development. What kind of website is that? 6.5million for furniture. Ministry of Special Development Initiatives approved budget for 2018. How could people be so criminally minded? If this doesn’t make you angry as a Ghanaian, irrespective of your political affiliation, I don’t know what would”, he said.