COVID-19 funds were appropriately used – Sophia Akuffo

First Deputy Speaker throws out minority motion to probe COVID-19 expenditure

Deputy Speaker’s decision to dismiss our motion provocation for chaos in parliament - Haruna Iddrisu

Joe Wise overturns decision by Bagbin

Chairperson for the COVID-19 National Trust Fund, Sophia Akuffo, has indicated that contributions received by the fund were judiciously used to fight the pandemic.

According to her, the trust fund supported the implementation of various projects and provided relief intervention in various forms amidst the pandemic

“Through the immense contributions and support from Ghanaians, the trust fund has supported the implementation of various projects and provided relief intervention in various forms.

"These interventions comprise the distribution of PPEs to medical facilities, COVID-19 care centres, special isolation centres, hospitals, small health centres, chips compounds, labs, covid-19 testing centres as well as providing support to the needy and vulnerable persons with food items and cash contributions across the length and breadth of the country,” starrfm.com.gh reported.

The portal reports she made these comments at a Community Health and Wellness Day celebration under the auspices of Okuapehene Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo.

The Former Chief Justice's comments come at the time the Minority in Parliament is calling for a probe on the government’s expenditure on COVID-19 funds.

The motion which is sponsored by Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka and Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson was thrown out by the First Deputy Speaker after it was admitted by the Speaker of Parliament.

According to Joseph Osei Owusu, Alban Bagbin should not have admitted the motion as everything related to the motion falls under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which is a bi-partisan committee.

In reaction to this development, the minority expressed disappointment over the Deputy Speaker’s decision to dismiss a motion that was admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin.

According to Haruna Iddrisu, these actions by the deputy Speaker are some of the things that cause chaos in the chamber.

“Our motion was a very simple one admitted by the Speaker (Alban Bagbin) and dismissed by the Deputy Speaker, interesting times in Ghana. This is what sometimes invite chaos into the chamber, he said in an interview.