Ofori-Atta has already accounted for COVID-19 expenditure – Joe Wise

Joe Wise explains why he dismissed motion for COVID-19 expenditure inquiry

Minority making Ghanaians lose respect for our institutions – Jose Wise

There is no need for a special committee to investigate COVID-19 expenditure – Joe Wise

First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei-Owusu, has explained that he threw out the minority caucus’ motion to probe Ghana’s COVID-19 expenditure because there is no need for it.

According to him, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has already accounted for the expenditure in the 2022 budget, which the house has already adopted.

He also explained that there are already committees in parliament responsible for ensuring accountability for the nation’s resources; therefore, there is no need to set up a special committee to investigate the COVID-19 expenditure.

“The monies the country got to support its COVID-19 effort has already been accounted for in the 2022 budget, and the document is already in parliament. The Constitution also states that when it comes to holding government accountable, there are various agencies responsible for that.

“My ruling was that for parliament to set up a special committee, the orders say only issues that are not in the jurisdiction of any committee of the house are those that require special committees,” he said in Twi in an interview with Neat FM translated by GhanaWeb.

“They (minority) said they want a bipartisan committee ... but parliament already had the public account committee which is bipartisan, and it is being headed by the minority, whose job is to hold the government accountable for all of its expenditures,” Osei-Owusu, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bekwai said.

“... they make governance look like a playful thing which is making Ghanaians lose faith in the institutions of the country and their leadership ... because they take things as a joke,” he added.

In parliament, the deputy speaker indicated that he dismissed the motion because it was not properly laid.