Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta presents 2019 Budget
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

The Minority in Parliament is pushing for the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to be hauled before the House to answer questions over the government’s inability to account for over GH¢800 million captured in the 2020 PIAC report.

Ranking Member on the Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson, contributing towards the adoption of the PIAC report, argued that the explanation provided by the Ministry at the committee level for the PIAC indictment was unsatisfactory.

He, therefore, wants Parliament to summon the Finance Minister so he can provide further clarity on the missing GH¢827 million.

“I agree with PIAC, that the Ministry of Finance must come properly in accounting for the GH¢827 million. It’s not chicken money and this amount cannot be missing in their physical reporting.

“Mr Speaker, I urge the Ministry of Finance that in as much as they have provided the Finance Committee with some information, that information is not satisfactory to me. It is not satisfactory to the public interest of accountability from Government and Mr Speaker for that matter we in this House should summon the Minister responsible for Finance before us to explain to us,” he said.

But the Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah, in a sharp rebuttal, observed that the amount cited in the report has been reconciled.

He also argued that projects executed in the year under review have been paid for and accordingly accounted for as the committee was informed