National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay
Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Freddie Blay


Board Chairman of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Freddie Blay, says the GH¢550,000.00 budgeted by the Corporation to be given to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) was not well thought out by the Board’s sub-committee.

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Addressing the issue in an interview on Asempa FM’s Enko Sii Sen show Wednesday, he explained that contrary to rumours, the budget was not drafted by the Board but rather by the Board’s sub-committee.

He said the Board only had a look at the budget after it had been drafted.

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He, however, noted that the GH¢ 550,000.00 budgeted for the anti-graft agency has been withheld and will no longer be approved by the Board.

“EOCO’s money was not well thought out by the sub-committee and so we stopped it,” he noted.

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GNPC came under harsh criticisms from the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, the Auditor-General and members of the Minority in Parliament and other well–meaning Ghanaians for approving the financial requests to the various institutions and individuals.

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A memo dated October 25, indicated that approvals had been given to some supposed requests received with the stated amounts as indicated below:

– 2019 Damba Festival Preparation- Dagbon State- GH¢400,000.00

– 20th Anniversary of Okyenhene – GH¢500,000.00 over three years totaling (GH¢1,500,000.00) for the environment and greening.

II: GH¢300,000.00 for the organisation of 20th Anniversary celebrations of Okyenhene

– Ghana Journalists Association – GH¢50,000.00

– Ghana Boxing Association – $30,000.00

– Rebecca Foundation – GH¢120,000.00

– EOCO – GH¢550,000.00