Strategic Thinkers Network-Africa (STANEK-Africa), a policy think tank has called on the Auditor General to audit how an amount of GH¢54.3 million which was allegedly spent in providing food for the vulnerable and needy during the COVID-19 lockdown period in the country.
This was after the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori- Atta revealed in the mid-year budget review that, GH¢54.3 million was used to provide food for the needy during the lockdown.
“Government through the Gender Ministry and NADMO provided 1,827,581 and 917,142 cooked food packs to vulnerable persons within Accra and Kumasi respectively. In collaboration with Faith-Based Organizations, the government also distributed dry food packages to about 470,000 families.”
“Mr. Speaker, the support to households, in terms of supply of dry food packs and hot cooked meals cost government GH¢54.3 million to enable them to mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta revealed.
STRANEK sent an appeal to the Auditor General to audit how the funds were used by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
“We write with regards to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection spending a colossal amount of GH₵ 54.3 million on dry food packs and cooked meals shared in Accra and Kumasi during the three-week lockdown period.”
“We humbly request you to specially audit the amount spent on the COVID-19 food by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection since the country has been thrown into a state of shock, to ascertain in detail what actually went into that amount,” the statement appealed.
Source: GHANAFEED.COM