Mid-year review: Coronavirus funds won’t be accounted for – Finance Committee Chair

Chairman for the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah has rejected demands for Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to render accounts of all funds approved for the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Minority and Former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper have asked for Mr. Ofori-Atta to account in detail the use the over 16 billion cedis granted to the government to fill the fiscal gap created as a result of the pandemic has been put to.

They ground their demand in the Public Finance Management Act.

But speaking to the media, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah argued the demands of accountability are untenable.

According to the New Juaben South MP accountability of public funds rest with the Auditor General and not Parliament through a mid-year budget review.

But Kumbungu MP Ras Mubarak disagreed.

He holds the view that the Minister must at least account for withdrawals from the contingency fund as he promised during the approval.

Ras, alleged that the claim the Auditor General is the only person to audit the Covid-19 funds informed President Akufo Addo’s decision to sack Mr. Domelevo who has been asked to proceed on leave.