General News of Wednesday, 16 November 2005
Source: Palavar
Accra, Nov 16 (Palavar) -- Today, we have laid hands on two documents that will shock Ghanaians. We have published the documents in full, because it exposes the extravagance, the incompetence and the feeling of insecurity of the NPP Government and its officials all at one go.
The documents in question are a Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning approval letter No.A/1189/2005 dated 20th October 2005 signed by Dr. A. Akoto-Osei, Deputy Minister, for a ten-member Government delegation to travel to London for an arbitration hearing with Construction Pioneers (CP), and an application No. AF.239/236/03 dated 28th October 2005 signed by Kwesi Frakona, Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Justice for UK entry visas for the Attorney General, Hon. J. Ayikoi Otoo and his wife Mrs. Patricia Hanson-Mettle Otoo.But per diem, in its true meaning, covers accommodation, feeding, ground travel and transport, and incidentals. Thus to get the true per diem paid to the travelling officials, and using the Attorney General's figures for the calculations, the actual per diem paid to him is as follows:
a) Per diem allowance @ US$ 152.95 for 5 days abated by S! =US$509.83
b) Per diem allowance @US$152.95 for 2 days travelling time =US$305.90
c) Accountable Imprest for hotel accommodation @ US$250.00 per night for 5 nights =US$1,250.00
d) Incidental Expenses @ US$500.00 =US$500.00
e) Total for 5 days =US$2,565.73
f) Actual per diem = US$2,565.73 ÷5 days =US$513.15