The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) wants the Nana Akufo Addo led administration to demonstrate its willingness to enforce the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA) and give value for money.
In PIAC’s view, its work would yield the necessary results if government machinery acts on findings indicating instances of misappropriation.
Though the Chairman of PIAC, Joseph Winful would not readily explain in detail his expectation of the new government, he anticipates an effective collaboration from the Nana Addo led government.
“This is a new government and I do not want to pre-empt their posture towards dealing with accountability; they might have a different approach to deal with that,” he stated.
Mr. Winful added, “I am looking at their co-operation and understanding of what we are supposed to be doing.”
Meanwhile the Committee, mandated to monitor the allocation and expenditure of petroleum revenue says it is dissatisfied by the governing NDC’s commitment in dealing with inappropriate petroleum revenue expenditure.
According to its Chairman, the delays in responding to acts of financial misappropriation do not augur well for achieving the objectives of the PRMA.
Citing some instances where no work had been done for monies allocated for projects in the Northern region as illustrations, Mr. Winful lamented the development and urged expedite work subsequently.
“Not as good as we would have expected when there are queries and they are sent, they delay well over time. The government recently responded to some queries that were raised some couple of months ago. For instance, there were some projects that were expected to be done in the North but were not executed yet the monies were spent,” he opined.
Some of the projects the PIAC questioned included a six unit classroom block at the Farikiya Islamic Institute at Tamale where a signage indicated that funding was from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) without no mention of revenue from the PRMA.
In addition was the upgrade of electrical power supply at the Bagabaga College of Education at a cost of 247,000 cedis which has been abandoned for over three months.
Meanwhile PIAC has launched its latest document announcing its five year strategic plan.
The project, estimated at 9.4 million dollars is among others expected to strengthen the operations of the Committee to protect the expenditure of Petroleum revenue.
–
By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
