Deputy Majority in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has accused Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa of ‘political banditry’ in his pursuit of the alleged profligate expenditure of President Akufo-Addo during his travels in May.
According to him, the North Tongu MP’s antics goes beyond being political points scoring especially when he has already put out the supposed cost of the president’s journey.
He argued that since the Finance Minister has directed Mr. Ablakwa to the appropriate Ministry to elicit the answers he seeks, it is only appropriate to file a question rather than jump into the media space to cause mischief.
The Deputy leader levelled the accusation last week after the Minister of Finance had provided the response to an urgent question filed by the NDC MP on how much President Akufo-Addo’s recent official travels to France Belgium and South in May cost the Ghanaian taxpayer.
He questioned why Hon. Ablakwa is running away from the figures on the journey that he put on his social media handle and described as profligate expenditure of the President.
He argued that if the North Tongu legislator is so sure the figures he bandied about are authentic there should have been no need to file a question in Parliament to demand the Finance Minister to provide him with the cost of the President’s official three-country tour in May again.
Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta had earlier told the House that the President’s domestic and international travels are matters to do with the National Security, so the National Security Minister is best placed to furnish the House with the needed details.
Apparently, Mr. Ablakwa was not impressed with the response and briefed the media about his concerns.
He accused the government of plotting to conceal the facts from the people of Ghana who voted it into power.
The Minister, he said, has clearly refused to disclose the full cost of the travel and deliberately tossed the issue over to the National Security Minister in an attempt to tag it as a national security matter hence cannot be disclosed.
Responding to the NDC MP, however, the Deputy Majority leader and also MP for Effutu Constituency defended the Finance Minister and argued he has explained adequately how the expenditures are dealt with.
He said, “The minister took time to explain in detail how such expenditures are carried out. There is a general release to Office of Government Machinery.”
“We all know that every year funds are released to the Office of Government Machinery, which includes Office of the President, the Vice President, Chief of Staff and other agencies that operate directly under the office.”
“The Minister of Finance explained to the satisfaction of Parliament that with respect to this, there is coordination between the Office of the Chief of Staff and that of National Security Secretariat and that Presidential travels fall under the scope of the National Security Minister who should be the right person to give the specific details.”
“This is a political mischief by Mr. Ablakwa, and the aim of briefing the media in parliament was to tarnish the high won reputation of the Finance Minister,” he added.
He stressed that the opportunity is there for the MP to file another question to the National Security Minister to answer if he believes his figure is wrong.
Source: MyPublisher24.com
