The Chief Director of the Ministry of Information (MOI), Madam Mamle Andrews, has punched holes in an Auditor-General’s (AG) report implicating the Ministry for spending GH¢151,500 without approval.
The AG’s report on Covid-19 expenditure report, which was released over the weekend, disclosed that senior management staff and other supporting staff of the MOI paid themselves a total amount of GH¢151,500.00 as Covid-19 risk allowance for coming to work during the lockdown.
The AG questioned the basis for such a remuneration since it was not sanctioned by the Chief of Staff and hence recommended that the amount be recovered from the beneficiary staff and paid into the Auditor-General’s Recoveries account.
But the MOI Chief Directed in an explanatory letter to the Minister, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said that the report cannot be a true reflection of issues, because the AG’s team did not conclude it deliberations with the ministry.
She, first of all, noted that there has not been any exit conference organised by the AG as is usually the practice to allow the two parties to finalise deliberations.
Secondly, she said that the report did not capture a draft response to the issues which was submitted to the AG for review and a final response.
“There has not been any exit conference organized by the AG as is usually the practice to allow the parties to finalise the work.
“As agreed with the team lead, we submitted a draft response to him for review, after which a formal/final response was supposed to be submitted. This, however, has not happened.
“The Audit report, as has been published on the AG’s website, did not capture even our draft responses to the observations. This makes it appear as though the Ministry has failed to respond to the issues all together,’ the Chief Director said.
In a separate document explaining how the ministry expended the whooping GH¢151,500.00 as risk allowance for management and supporting staff, Madam Mamle said that staff of the ministry were not willing to work during the pandemic period, because four of their officers contracted the disease.
She noted that something had to be done to motivate the staff and management due to the critical role the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, directed the ministry played during the pandemic and so the money was used as a motivating factor.
Pointing out the critical role the ministry played based on the president’s directive, she said the ministry was to lead in Risk Communication and Community Engagement.
“Additionally, the Ministry set-up a 24-hour information desk at the digital centre, close to the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, where the general public was given opportunity to call in and report Covid-19 related cases and also seek information in respect of the prevention and management of covid-19 cases.
“The centre also served as a link between critically ill covid-19 patients and the ambulance service for quick pick-ups. Management needed to whip up the interest of the desk officers and the supervisors to ensure that the centre continue to provide services to the public 24 hours of the day,” she submitted as a justifiable reason for expending GH¢151,500.00.
He stressed on the importance of correcting the mistake of the past by ensuring the exploitation of the resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Minister Jinapor told the gathering that there is a manual for the Community Mining Scheme, which must be religiously adhered to while warning that the Ministry would not hesitate to revoke the license if the CMS is found not to be following the measures stipulated in the manual.
Stephen Yakubu, the Regional Minister, on his part, said he was elated that the job creation project has been instituted in his region.
The paramount chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Atamaale, was optimistic that the scheme will provide the necessary employment in the area and added that mining must be done within the confines of the law and that he would, in his capacity as chief, ensure that the laws are obeyed.
