Minority Leader calls for a forensic audit into Covid-19 expenditure

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has called for a forensic audit into government’s Covid-19 expenditure.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, Mr Iddrisu, who had been highlighting what he said were discrepancies in the figures presented by the Finance minister, demanded an account of the rest of the money.

“In many civilised jurisdictions, the Auditor-General is an office of Parliament and must work with us, so a forensic audit should be conducted. I’m surprised that President Akufo-Addo would not authorise a forensic audit into Covid-19 expenditure.

“When he took office, he subjected all ministries to a forensic audit, so why can’t he do the same if he upholds the value of transparency and accountability? ” he asked.

The Tamale South MP charged President Akufo-Addo to authorise a forensic audit into the amount spent, despite the Speaker of Parliament’s call for two Parliamentary Committees – Finance and Health – to look into the expenditure.

The Minority’s call follows the Finance Minister’s statement on Covid-19 expenditure in Parliament on Wednesday.

According to Mr Ofori-Atta, although ¢18.19 billion was mobilised to fight Covid-19, only ¢12 billion from the Contingency Fund was spent on dealing with the pandemic.

But the Minority disagrees.

The NDC MPs insist that this contrasts with an earlier figure provided by President Akufo-Addo.

According to them, the President, during the State of the Nation Address on March 30 this year, disclosed that over a ¢17billion had been spent to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country since 2020.

The Speaker of Parliament has ordered the Finance and Health committees to probe the Covid-19 expenditures thoroughly.

Alban Bagbin said this has become imperative to clear all “lingering doubts” on the matter.

According to him, some agencies, such as the Covid-19 Trust Fund, received some funds and disbursed them on their own.

He explained that the Finance Ministry could not be compelled to account for them on their behalf.

Source: Jessie Ola-Morris