Finance Minister not running away from accountability - Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has told Parliament that, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta is not running away from accountability as some members of the Minority caucus had claimed.

Rather, the Minister of Finance had indicated to him [Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu] on Wednesday night [June 15, 2022) that, the responses he needed from the technical people with respect to expenses on COVID-19 had been “dumped” at his house Wednesday night, for which he would need sometime to read through before appearing before Parliament.

The Finance Minister then asked Parliament to re-schedule him for next week Wednesday, June 22, 2022 for him to come before the House and answer questions with respect to all expenses made on COVID-19.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu's answer came up when the Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim questioned the leadership of the Majority, as to why questions filed had been taken off from Thursday’s Order Paper (Parliament timetable).

Adding his voice to the issue, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu said, the minority is demanding for an accountability in the interest of the Ghanaian people so the Finance Minister has to come and account for GHC 9.7 billion spent on COVID-19.

Mr Iddrisu added that, he hoped there would not be another story next week as well and that, Parliament must step down all transactions and businesses coming from the Finance Ministry until Mr Ken Ofori-Atta comes to account on COVID-19 expenses.

Speaker

The Speaker, Alban Bagbin, in his ruling on the matter directed that the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta should appear before the House next week Wednesday, June 22, 2022 to account for how COVID-19 money was utilised since the outbreak of the pandemic and also answer all the 16 questions asked of his ministry by members.

Mr Bagbin said until the Finance Minister appears before the House all matters related to COVID-19 loan facility agreement laid before Parliament will be stand down.