Member of Parliament (MP) for Afigya Kwabre North, Collins Adomako-Mensah, has said calls for the dismissal of officials cited for misappropriation in the Auditor-General’s report are premature.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii sen the lawmaker said it is too early for such actions to be taken against any of the officials.
This comes on the back of calls by the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi at the Moment of Truth Series presser.
Mr Gyamfi said the mismanagement of COVID-19 funds by the Information Ministry, for instance, makes the sector Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah unfit to stay at post.
Mr Gyamfi explained that according to the recent Auditor-General’s report on COVID-19 expenditure, senior management and supporting staff of the Information Ministry paid themselves an amount of GH¢151,000 as a ‘COVID-19 risk allowance’ without approval.
He said another disturbing revelation by the Auditor-General was allowances totaling GH¢811,800.00, paid to the staff of the Information Ministry without adequate supporting documents.
He also called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately fire the Minister of Finance, his Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the CEO of the National Food Buffer Stock Company and all other officials who have been cited in the report for violating the laws of the country in their expenditure of COVID-19 funds.
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But Mr Adomako-Mensah said he believes it is important for these persons to be given a fair hearing before sanctions are meted to them.
“I fully support Sammy Gyamfi’s call for all guilty officials brought to book but that will be after all interrogations, investigations, and hearings and if they are found guilty of the said wrong as they’ve been cited for in the report,” he added.