I did not receive any payment from NHIA – Adwoa Safo

The Minister of State in charge of Public Procurement, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo has denied receiving any payment from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to finance her educational program at the Harvard Kennedy School in the United States of America (USA).

On Wednesday, July 18, 2018, a cross-section of the mainstream media reported on a leaked document purporting that Hon. Adwoa Safo has made a request to the “debt-ridden” NHIA for a sponsorship package of US$8,500.00 to enable her to undertake a training session in the Women and Power Executive Program at the prestigious US-based university.

The reported story has since gone viral on various social media platforms.

But in a statement released by the Director of Public Affairs, Office of the Ministry of Public Procurement, Mr. Solomon Sasu-Mensah, on behalf of Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, Thursday, July 19, 2018, in Accra, he stated that although the Public Procurement Minister made the request to the NHIA for sponsorship, not a single penny was advanced to her.

“Yes, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo made the said request for sponsorship to the NHIA in a letter dated March 16, 2018. The request was however withdrawn with a letter dated May 21, 2018, due to Parliament’s decision to foot the entire cost of the training which includes the cost of her tickets and accommodation. That there is a letter which emanates from the office of the NHIA dated 5th July, 2018 to confirm that they did not any payment to the Hon. Adwoa Safo or on her behalf”, the statement in part read.

It added “That, the Parliament of Ghana, sponsored her to pursue the said leadership program and Parliament resolve to sponsor the training session was borne out of the fact that the office she occupies in the legislature as Chairperson of the Women’s Caucus is a critical one.

That, there are records to show that she did not receive any money from the NHIA after Parliament agreed to sponsor the educational program. It must be put on record that any individual can apply to any state institution for scholarship or any assistance. It, however, behooves on the management of that institution to take a decision on whether to approve or disapprove”.

According to the statement, what Hon. Adwoa Safo did “does not infringe on any law and that Hon. Adwoa Safo should rather be applauded by the public for her honesty and the display of quality leadership in the office she is occupying”.

Find below her statement