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General News of Thursday, 25 June 2009

Source: joyonline

Muntaka is innocent?

At last the beleaguered Minister of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has been cleared of all charges of financial malfeasance leveled against him.

Officials of national security who investigated the allegations said in their report that those who made the allegations could not produce documentary proof to back them.

They however accuse Alhaji Muntaka of indiscretion.

The Principal Accountant and Chief Director of the ministry claimed the minister had made indecent claims of monies he was not entitled to.

The allegations necessitated an order to the minister by the president to step aside while investigations were launched into the issue.

While the investigators were yet to submit their report on the matter to the president, presidential spokesperson, Mahama Ayariga Wednesday gave indications the minister could walk free. He spoke to Joy FM’s Super Morning host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah.

True to his words, the Asawase Member of Parliament has been exonerated of all the about 10 charges brought against him.

According to Joy FM’s Kofi Ansah who sighted the report on the minister, the investigators observed that there is mistrust between the workers at the ministry.

The report says financial regulations guiding the managing of finances in the civil services are abused.

Kofi Ansah also quotes the report as saying the minister incurred the displeasure of people at the ministry by arbitrarily cutting down on their allowances.

It said the issues surrounding the conduct of the minister would not have been raised had the Principal Accountant, Adim Odoom, not been transferred from the ministry.

The report remained silent on whether Alhaji Muntaka should be given back his job which meanwhile has been given to Wa Central MP, Rashid Pelpuo on a temporary basis.