President Akufo-Addo must act swiftly on 2017 PIAC report over “Ghost projects”

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President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has been urged to act swiftly on the 2017 Project Inspections Report by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC).
According to the Chairman of PIAC, Dr. Steve Manteaw, the president must ensure that those implicated in their report are brought to book to demonstrate his commitment and readiness to fight against corruption.
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“The president should ensure that mandated institutions act swiftly on our report to protect the public purse”, he said.
Dr. Steve Manteaw was speaking on Adom FM’s Burning Issues program, hosted by Akua Boakyewaa Yiadom, Monday on controversies surrounding the report.
PIAC in its 2017 report said 50% of the projects inspected in the Upper East, Upper West, and Northern Regions all funded with petroleum revenue are missing.
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But a former deputy Minister of Power, John Abdulai Jinapor, has refuted claims by the PIAC that 50 per cent of oil-funded projects are non-existent.
“The report is not just misleading, but a clear attempt to twist facts and to serve political parochial interest,” the Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei/Kusawgu Constituency stated on Wednesday, 11 April 2018.
But Dr. Manteaw who is a policy analyst with the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) said PIAC will soon meet the Auditor General with their findings, adding that they’re exploring options which include court action over what he described as misuse of oil revenue.
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Contributing to the discussions on the show, Executive Director of the Kumasi Institute of Technology, Energy and Environment, Ishmael Agyekumhene expressed concern over spreading of oil revenue on numerous projects in the country.
He added that the oil revenue should have been used for legacy projects to avoid misapplication of the funds.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Centre for Extractives and Development-Africa, Emmanuel Kuyole said the public and various civil society organizations must be vigilant on how government uses oil revenue.
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Mr. Kuyole also questioned why the finance ministry has not fully released oil revenue it allocated in the 2017 to sectors such as Health, Agriculture and Roads to ensure proper utilization of the funds.
He further cautioned the current government not to repeat the mistakes committed by the previous administration in the application of oil revenue.
Mr. Kuyole also urged Parliament to commend PIAC for supporting its oversight role in ensuring proper utilization of Ghana’s oil revenue.