Minority demands accountability on projects

Tamale, Aug. 25, GNA - Mr J. H. Mensah, Minority Leader in Parliament has called on Ghanaians to be critical about public expenditure on development projects in order to get the right value for their taxes.

He said the inflation of contract sums and other irregularities that go with the award and execution of public contracts are costing the country a lot and Ghanaians have the right to demand accountability and the correct use of their monies.

Mr Mensah was speaking at a public forum organised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tamale on Tuesday to offer the party's MPs the opportunity to interact with the electorate on national issues.

He said that it was in the spirit of public accountability that the NPP challenged a request by the government to raise 94 million dollars to fund the Keta Sea Defence project, which was estimated to cost 43 million dollars three years ago.

He said the party has protested to government over the huge difference of about 50 million dollars and also queried the three-and-half billion cedis illegal payment made to the contractor for the preliminary works in 1996.

The NPP also questioned the rationale behind an agreement signed with a Canadian firm to pay 92 billion cedis a year for waste disposal in Accra for a period of five years, when government cannot provide 13 billion cedis needed to support the universities.

Mr Mensah said it is the responsibility of the opposition to point out these flaws, and insist that the proper things are done, and would not allow it to be intimidated to abandon this role. Mr Mensah said the electorate should be interested to know how the

MPs are using their political mandate to address problems in areas like education, poverty alleviation and an improvement in their living conditions. He advised the electorate not to hesitate to point out wrong doings in their constituencies to their MPs.

Mr Alex Acheampong, MP for Bekwai and Spokesman for Cocoa Affairs, said the NPP is opposed to divesting the Cocoa Marketing Board, since it would give the private sector an undue advantage to exploit farmers in the purchasing and marketing of cash crops such as cocoa and shea nuts.

Mr Boadi-Mensah, MP for Obuasi and Deputy Spokesman for Labour and Employment said an NPP government would promote small-scale mining in the three northern regions to create employment for the youth.

Mr Samuel Nkrumah-Gyimah, MP for Odotobiri, expressed concern about the delay in the execution of the Jatozongo - Yeji road in the Brong Ahafo region, even though, Parliament has approved funds for the project.

Mr K. A. Kyeremanteng, MP for Efigya-Sekyere East and a member of the Health Committee asked the people to insist on the rights of children under five years, pregnant women, and persons above 70 years, to free medical care.