Sam George demands source of $100m allocated to fight coronavirus

The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George has called on the government to provide details on the source of funding of the US$100 million dollars allocated as part of measures to fight the deadly coronavirus which is fast spreading across the world.

On Thursday, the MP said: “I hold the view that it’s fair and square that our President has eventually come around to realize the need for us to have a national response and dedicate a US$100 million to the measures that are being taken.

For me as a taxpayer and an MP, my interest is to know what’s going into that US$100 million. He couldn’t possibly have just mentioned the figure off head. Some work has gone into it.”

“I believe that the people’s representatives need to know whether the government can cover this miscellaneous budget or not. Parliament needs to be briefed on what is going into the US$100 million. I am a little sceptical and I would want to be proven wrong by ensuing events. I do not trust this government 100% when it comes to accountability of funds,” he said.

Background

While delivering an address to the nation on Wednesday, 11th March 2020, the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo-Addo said he has directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available the cedi equivalent of US$100 million to enhance Ghana’s Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.

This amount, according to President Akufo-Addo, “is to fund the expansion of infrastructure, purchase of materials and equipment, and public education”. He further explained that with the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the Coronavirus disease as a pandemic,

it is important that Ghana steps up her preparedness to ensure that beyond the initial measures that have been put in place, a ‘whole of Ghana’ approach is adopted in preparation for a possible hit within the country’s borders.