Minister for National Security, Mr. Kan Dapaah, has stated the recent official travels to France , Belgium and South Africa by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo were paid for out of operational funds of the Ministry of National Security.
Payments out of this fund, he said, are cloaked with rules of confidentiality and secrecy.
He explained it is not the general practice in the intelligence community in Ghana or elsewhere in the world to make the cost public.
Mr. Kan Dapaah stated these on Friday during question time in Parliament when he responded to two questions about the cost of presidential travels.
The questions stood in the name of Member for Dormaa East, Paul Apreku Twum-Barimah and Member for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa respectively.
The MP for Dormaa wanted to know the cost of air travel of President Mahama using chartered flight between the period 2013 to 2016.
The North Tongu MP, on the other hand, wanted to know how much the President’s recent official travels to France, Belgium and South Africa in May this year cost the Ghanaian taxpayer.
Mr. Dapaah noted by convention and for good public policy consideration, the utilisation of operational funds are not subject to the oversight of any institution and are normally not disclosed.
According to him, if it is disclosed in other jurisdiction, it may be because they are not paid out of operational funds.
He said, “I’m talking about payments out of operational funds and I don’t believe there are disclosures anywhere in the world.”
“The cost that you’re asking for were paid out of operational funds and that is what makes it difficult for me to give out details.”
The National Security Minister noted that he is also concerned about proper financial management practices an assured the House and the members who asked the questions that in paying out of the operational funds, he makes sure there is always value for money and monies are properly spent.
MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa first raised concerns about the cost of the chartered flights the President used for his journeys in May and filed a question for the Minister of Defense whose responses rather generated confusion about the cost the need for the President to charter private aircrafts when Ghana’s Presidential Jet is in prestine condition.
Source: MyPublisher24.com