Use GH¢97 million for schools, not MPs – IPG tells government

The Institute of Progressive Governance (IPG), has admonished the President Mahama administration to channel monies allocated to Members of Parliament from the GetFund into construction more school infrastructural projects.

In a statement issued and copied to the media, IPG, through its Executive Director, Dr. George Domfe, has questioned the rationale behind Parliament approving GetFund’s allocation a total of GH¢350,000 to MPs when the monies could be used for other purposes.

“Parliament has approved GetFund’s allocation of GH¢200,000 to each MP for educational related projects in their constituencies and GH¢150,000 each to monitor the projects. This is unacceptable and same ought to be stopped. Is GetFund saying it cannot utilize these monies to build schools and other facilities?” he asked.

“These amounts, approximately GHc97 million, can better be used by GetFund and not Members of Parliament. This is a very bad precedent. We don’t need soothsayers to tell us that the MPs will not use these monies for their intended purposes. Which school can GH¢200,000 build?’’ Dr. Domfe questioned.

The Development Economist and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Policy Studies (CSPS) at the College of Humanities, University of Ghana, held that GH¢97 million can do a lot for the country instead of sharing them to MPs as additional common funds.

“MPs have their Common Fund from the District Assembly Common Fund Secretariat for these activities, so why is GetFund being squeezed to provide additional funding for them?” he further asked.

“Are we saying that GetFund, Education Ministry, MMDAs do not have monitoring units or departments to monitor ongoing GetFund projects for which reason the MPs are being given GH¢150,000? It is either going to be a duplication of duty or these monies have been given to the MPs for their personal use” he explained.

The economy, according to Dr. George Domfe, is on the path of recovery and for that matter, government should not be seen throwing monies away.

The Executive Director asked the government to withdraw the allocation to the MPs and channel it into more beneficial projects.