Minority accuses GNPC of spending illegally

The Minority in Parliament on Friday charged the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) of spending outside an approved budget, accusing government of complicity in an illegality against the state.

They have thus demanded that the GNPC be prevented from spending funds until Parliament approves the Corporations’ budget.

Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, a Member of Parliament for Old Tafo and Ranking member on Finance, told the House that government had supervised an illegality by allowing the GNPC to spend without an approved budget.

He said the GNPC cannot engage in any kind of spending or programmes without the express approval of its budget by the House, saying that, “At the passage of the budget, there is an agreement that you allow the budget to be passed then they work on it so that when we come back we can look at it.

“But now we are in February and scheduled to rise on March 27, and that has not been done, so technically speaking, GNPC cannot engage in any programmes because we have not passed so. Parliament passed the act so we must see to its enforcement,” he said.

However, the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations assured the House that the budget of the Corporation would be submitted soon for Parliamentary approval.