Special aide to former President, John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari has described the use of the COVID-19 funds given to government as one of the biggest scandals in the country.

Commenting on the breakdown of the COVID funds by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, in Parliament on Wednesday June 22, Joyce Mogtari noted that the COVID funds were wasted by government.

“COVID and how the funds were wasted and expended, by the powers that be, is one of the biggest scandals in the history of this country.”
Joyce Bawah Mogtari

Joyce Mogtari who was the former Deputy Minister for Transport further called on Ghanaians to demand the better management of the economy under the current administration.

“Let’s demand of them more transparency, better accountability and above all let’s expect that they will actually work in accordance with the tenets of the constitution.”
Joyce Bawah Mogtari

According to the former aide, the economy is being mismanaged by the current government. A situation, she stated is being seen in the rising rate of inflation.

“Inflation is an all-time high, the highest in 18 years, the hardship on the good people of Ghana especially the poor, the social protection, we don’t know what is happening to them. Let us demand that the economy will be better managed. Let’s demand how much the Finance Minister’s bank Data Bank has been paid for the transaction advises it has given.”
Joyce Bawah Mogtari

There was no dishonesty

Commenting also on the Finance Minister’s presentation, a member of the National Communications team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ellen Ama Daaku, intimated that there was no dishonesty in the decision by the government to use portions of the COVID funds to pay for the free water and electricity for lifeline consumers during the peak of the pandemic.

According to Ellen Daaku, although the supply of electricity and water was free to Ghanaians, government needed to find money to pay the service providers, hence the use of parts of the COVID funds to defray the cost.

The member of the National Communications team further questioned why Ghanaians were not understanding that part of the disbursement and are labelling it as dishonest. “Where is the dishonesty in this?”

According to Ellen Adaaku, some of the monies from the funds were given to some agencies to also utilize, as such, they should also be called to come and account for it.

Both comments came after Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, disclosed in his presentation yesterday, June 22, 2022 that in the area of free water and electricity for lifeline consumers, an amount of GHS200 million was made available in the COVID funds for the payment of such, out of which GHS143 million was utilized.

The Minister further stated that although the nation’s response was bold and decisive and compassionate, it has also been costly. He said:“Mr Speaker, you will recall that on 30th March 2021, I made a statement to Parliament that the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the economy of Ghana following the implementation of the coronavirus alleviation programme commenced.”