Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has alleged that the Akufo-Addo administration has stolen from and misappropriated Covid funding.
Speaking about the recent Auditor-report General’s on Covid funds usage on Wednesday, February 1 at the NDC’s inaugural moment of truth series in Accra, he claimed that the government was “scared and afraid” about calls for an investigation of Covid funds.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) signed a contract for the supply of 26 Toyota Hiace Deluxe Ambulances valued at US$4,049,460.12, of which US$607,419.02 was paid via PV No. IPF 22-007 dated 2 September 2022, to be delivered by 15 January 2022, among other things, according to the Auditor-General report.
The ambulances were still to be delivered, according to the article, as on November 28, 2022.
The Chief Director used the most recent report on government spending for the period of March 2020 to June 2022 as justification for the supplier’s request for an extension to meet some technical requirements.
“Under the current economic difficulties, the supplier could apply for price variation to unduly increase the cost of the contract which could have been avoided if the ambulances had been supplied as scheduled,” it said.
It added that “Management has indicated that upon technical inspection by the World
Bank, additional specifications have been recommended and the contract has therefore been extended to March 2023.
“We recommended that the Chief Director should ensure that the ambulances are delivered no further than the extended date of March 2023.”
The Ministry of Finance praised the report and gave the public the assurance that action is being made to resolve all of its concerns.
“The following inventions are currently being pursued by the Ministry;’ Meetings are being organized to engage with the implementing agencies to evaluate actions taken to implement the audit recommendations in the report; Preparations for an emergency expenditure Management Guideline.’
“This guideline will provide the government with administrative protocols in times of emergency such as the Covd-19 pandemic to ensure compliance with relevant PFM regulations while providing a timely response.”
