Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor, says claims by the Minority in Parliament that President Nana Akufo-Addo has spent in excess in the past nine months smells of mischief.
The Minority in Parliament wants the Chief of Staff to provide a detailed breakdown of how she expended the GH¢3.4 billion approved by Parliament in 2019.
This comes on the back of revelations that her office spent GH¢1.9 million on refreshments and expended GH¢62 million on foreign travels in just nine months, a development the Minority describes as worrying.
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Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson, who revealed this is, thus, demanding accountability from the government, arguing that the amount spent could have been used to provide basic amenities for the suffering Ghanaian populace.
But, reacting to Mr Forson’s demand for accountability, Mr Jinapor asserted that the legislator is only doing so to gain sympathy votes from his constituency.
“Ato Forson only wants votes and so does not really care about the outcome of anything whether honourable or dishonourable. He is being mischievous and wants to incite the people of Central region, all his claims are untrue,” he said.
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Setting the records straight on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem on Friday, Mr Jinapor said the documents tendered to the Finance Committee of Parliament by the Office of the Chief of Staff was in furtherance to its commitment to transparency, and to show the Committee that her office had not overspent its budget.
“This document is not new, and unlike in the past where chief of staffs failed to account for monies spent, we decided to present it to them and show that we have not overspent our budget,” he said.
“And when we talk about foreign travels, it’s not just for the president, the vice president; high ranking officials, diplomats, envoys, and other foreign heads of state are all included. They all contribute to the GH¢ 63 million,” he added.
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According to him, the budget presented to Parliament proves that the office of the Chief of Staff had spent far less than what was approved by Parliament.
“I am so happy and proud to say that for the first time, this is the Chief of Staff who has spent within her means and so the Minority should give us a break,” he said.
He added that, the office of the Chief of Staff has been prudent enough with the budget at the presidency.
Listen to audio above:
Source: Adomonline.com | Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy