The National Communications Director of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagba has waded into the ongoing conversation about the utilisation of the COVID-19 funds.
On Sunday, January 22, the Auditor General released a 2022 report on monies received by government to fight the covid-19 pandemic and how the monies were utilised.
The report has garnered several reactions from citizens after it cited many “flaws.”
The report revealed that an amount of GHS 21.8 billion was allocated but the government used only GHS 11.7 billion and spent the remaining for budget support.
Also in the report, the A-G noted that a sum of 81 million dollars was used to order some vaccines that were never delivered up to date.
“We noted that the Ministry of Health, on behalf of the government of Ghana, paid an amount of $120,192,379.80 to UNICEF/AVAT for the supply of vaccines.
“However, 5,109,600.00 doses of vaccines valued at $38,322,000.00 were supplied to the National Cold Room, leaving a difference of US$81,870,379.00 with UNICEF/AVAT,” part of the report said.
The A-G recommend that “the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health should renegotiate with UNICEF/AVAT to recover the outstanding amount.”
But in his reaction, the NPP spokesperson urged Ghanaians not to focus only on the expenses but rather how the country was able to pull through the pandemic.
“It’s possible today to discuss COVID-19 expenditure because Ghana made it through in one piece. Thank God & the people-centered leadership of the Akufo-Addo govt. So, let’s count the cost, but let’s not forget how we pulled through,” read his tweet dated Monday, January 23.
Source: Modern Ghana