There was a clash between members of the Public Accounts committee in Parliament yesterday, 1st September 2020 after officials of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) appeared before them to answer to queries relating to their operations.
Honorable MP for Ningo Prampram, Sam George had raised a concern with regards to allocations made by the corporation to support projects by the Okyenhene and the Rebecca Akufo-Addo foundation.
The GNPC, said to be riddled with debts, approved the payment of GHS 1.5 million to the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin for a tree-planting exercise. According to the report, the said payment was approved in time for the 20th anniversary of the enstoolment of the Okyenhene.
Mr Sam George said during the sitting that “I am trying to situate how approval for CSRs emanated from the Board Secretary to the Chief Executive and not from the Foundation.
“And this had to do with GH¢120,000 to the Rebecca Foundation, GH¢1.8 million to the Okyenhene’s 20th Anniversary celebration, GH¢50,000 to the Ghana Journalist Association, $30,000 to the Ghana Boxing Association and GH¢400,000 to Damba Festival and GH¢550,000 to EOCO which is also a state entity that is under a Ministry. So I am trying to understand how this did not happen under the auspices of the Foundation.
However, this line of questioning by Mr Sam George did not go down well with the Deputy Ranking Member of the committee, Alhaji Mohammed Hardi Tufero, who is also the NPP MP for Nanton, causing him to enquire from the committee chair, James Klutse Avedzi as to why he allowed such line of questioning.
An obviously unenthused Klutse Avedzi replied sharply, saying “I am the Chair of the Committee. The rules are that we allow public interest questions. I have approved it. If I approve public interest questions, I do not have the responsibility to call the Deputy Public Ranking Member of the committee to tell you that I have approved this public interest question. If you want to take over, come and take over.”
Source: GhanaFeed.Com
