Doe Adjaho, Muntaka, Akomea mentioned in FDB audit report

Lawyer for Mr Agyarko, Egbert Faibaille, says he has duly sent his client’s responses to the Auditor General. An Audit Service report on the accounts of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), then headed by the former Chief Executive Emmanuel Agyarko, has further revealed several sums extended to key parliamentarians as honouraria and travel allowances. The audit report, signed by Assistant Auditor-General Roberta Quarshie, said a total of $29,150 was given to the legislators, who apparently sat on a parliamentary committee. The report mentions the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Doe Adjaho and the NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Upper West Akyem, Samuel Sallas Mensah, as having received $2,500 each. MP for Asawase and former Sports Minister Muntaka Mohammed reportedly received $4,000; G. Okyere, $4,000; A. Laryea-Odai, $3,000; Hon Haruna $2,000 and Hon Okyere, $2,000 (names written as they appeared in document). The report also mentioned the MP for Okaikoi South, Nana Akomea, as receiving the biggest amount ($5,250) as per diem for travelling to the UK whilst Local Government Minister Yieleh Chireh received some $3,000 in allowances. The document however indicated that the payments were not acknowledged by the alleged payees. “We were however informed by those Parliamentarians that neither they nor their authorised representatives had received any moneys from FDB,” it said. The report said the former head of accounts at the FDB told the audit team that payments made on 30 March 2007 were “received with payment schedule by the Clerk of Parliament of the committee on behalf of the select committee.” “This assertion could however not be substantiated,” it said. The document further stated that other payments made “vide PV. No. 1504371 and 1506317 were received in bulk by the head of legal (FDB) during a familiarisation visit” to two countries with the MPs. “Again, we did not sight any authority note from the intended payee authorisation the former head of Legal Unit to receive the amount on their behalf,” the document stated. Meanwhile Mr Doe Adjaho has denied ever receiving any money from the FDB. Speaking on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM, Mr Adjaho said he had never sighted the so-called audit report. He stressed that the report is a draft document and asserted that the final report will clear him of any wrongdoing. Lawyer for Mr Agyarko, Egbert Faibaille, says he has duly sent his client’s responses to the Auditor General. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Hannah Bissew rubbishes 'kickback' allegations

Deputy Works and Housing Minister, Dr. Hannah Tetteh Bissew says claims of corruption and profligate expenditure in the renovation of seven ministerial bungalows by opposition MPs were premature and unfounded. Government in a written response to a question posed by Bimbilla MP Dominic Nitiwul on how much government spent on the renovation works indicated that a total of GH¢850,000 was spent on seven houses. The breakdown for the total cost included ¢72,000 on furniture, ¢649,000 on civil works including electrical, 14,000 on appliances, ¢55,000 on curtains and ¢68,000 on carpets. But the MP was not convinced about the total cost and the breakdown, accusing government of bloating the figures. “I am saying there was massive corruption in there. There is no way any body in Ghana can justify the fact that a bungalow that was renovated in 2001, you are renovating that bungalow at that cost." "...What are you implying that, that those people were so reckless? Were they kids? They have messed up the bungalows to the extent that you have to use GH¢122,000 to renovate it. I think the people of Ghana have been shortchanged,” the MP told Joy News’ Sammy Darko after parliamentary proceedings. But in an interesting twist to the controversy the Deputy Works and Housing Minister told Joy News that no bungalow has been renovated. According to her, the amounts quoted by the MP were only estimates from the Public Works Department detailing the cost of renovation, insisting that government had not expended a penny on any of those bungalows. Even though she admitted that the cost of bungalows were originally part of the questions which the MPs needed answers to, she explained that she was silent on the details because the Bimbilla MP failed to pose the specific question on the floor of parliament. “I did not answer that question. It wasn’t posed to me today in parliament. It was part of the questions that came. It was written but we did not speak to that question because the Hon Member of parliament I am not sure whether he was there. If he was there that question was not posed,” she explained. If that question had been posed to me, I would have explained, just like I am doing now, she told Joy FM's Bernard Saibu. Asked if government intends to do something about the estimates, the deputy minister said she believes the substantive minister after thorough assessment with the experts will cut down on the cost to be incurred on the renovation. She challenged the Bimbilla MP to provide evidence on the allegations that the ministry had bloated figures meant for the renovation. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana