Opinions of Thursday, 10 February 2011

Columnist: Kabore, Haleema Asana

Government Expenditure On Ghanaian Newspapers And ...

Government Expenditure On Ghanaian Newspapers And Media Personalities Is Wrong And Corrupt

At long last the battle for truth and transparency has ended. Thanks to Ghanaians who believe in putting the National Interest first, including that beautiful black lady who works at the office of the president(name withheld for security reasons) at great risk we have stumbled on alarming facts on how the current Professor John Evans Atta Mills government is being undermined by naked greed and avarice. We are deeply traumatised and shocked by the spending of huge sums of money propping up some Ghanaian Newspapers and some media personalities. At great risk to our lives we publish this information we obtained from the Office of the President. This was picked from a tray on the desk of Mr Henry Martey Newman, Chief of Staff On the 12th of January, 2011 at 11.40am. This document is copied to Mr Alex Segbefia, Deputy Chief of Staff and Dr Kwabena Duffour, Minister for Finance and Mr Fiifi Kwetey ,Deputy Minister for Finance Below is a summary. We will like to state for the record that President Mills name was used to authorise payment without his knowledge and not aware of this expenditure. This is being done behind his back.

NEWSPAPERS

1.The Daily Post-20,000 dollars a month

2.The Informer-15,000 dollars a month

3.The Enquirer-30,000 dollars a month

4.The Catalyst-12,000 dollars a month

5.The Insight-20,000 dollars a month plus 3 Isuzu Pick ups from the Tema Port.

6.Bi-lingual Free Press-was offered money but its Editor Alhaji Bature vehemently refused to take it. Alhaji Bature was also criticized for not supporting the NDC enough in a memo written by Chief of Staff Mr Martey Newman to Mr Alex Segbefia and copied to the President. .

7.The Daily Dispatch-15,000 dollars. This allocation had an asterix indicating that it was issued and authorised by Deputy National Security Co-ordinator Mr Kosivi Degbor .

8.The Ghanaian Lens-20,000 Dollars a month

In addition to the above, The following media personalities received monthly allowances and logistics.

1. Mr Allotey Jacobs-12,000 Dollars payed monthly plus free daily petrol coupons .

2. Mr Raymond Archer-One Ford Explorer vehicle, 1 Jaguar X 5 from Tema Harbour allocated plus 18,000 dollars a month

3. Michael Dokosi-18,000 Dollars plus Toyota Avensis saloon.

4. Mr Kwesi Pratt-15,000 US Dollars a month plus free daily petrol coupons for 2 years

5. Ben Ephson-15,000 US dollars payed monthly plus free dailypetrol coupons for 2 years(authorised by Mr Kosivi Degbor)

6. Mr Kobby Fiagbe-15,000 US Dollars a month

7. Mr Kojo Twum Boafo-20,000 US Dollars a month

8. Mr Alhaji Idrissu Bature must be commended for his refusal to receive any kind of inducements. He is a credit to himself and his profession.
The following government officials apart from their salaries also receive extra special allowances for media work done for the government.

1. Dr Tony Aidoo-20,000 dollars a month

2. Mr. James Agyenim Boateng, -25,000 dollars a month

3. Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa- -30 ,000 dollars a month

4. Mr.Stanislav Dogbe- 20,000 Dollars a month

We hope this information will go at great lengths to help Ghanaians understand how the public funds are being used by our current leaders despite the fact that we need more financial investment and support to build more roads, schools, hospitals, and create jobs for a better Ghana
Our anti -corruption crusade to protect our country resources and finances continues unabated...........

Mrs Haleema Asana Kabore,
Media watch Research Associates

Additional information by Paul K. Kaleku- Former Research Officer, Information Services Department, Ministry of Information (1992-2006)

Sources-Mediawatch Research Associates-Accra, Ghana
Office of the President-The Castle Osu