Calls for accountability on Mills' funeral are premature – IDEG

Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey

The Institute for Democratic Governance has described as premature, calls for accountability of funds committed to the organization of late President Mills' funeral.

According to the Executive Director of the Institute, Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, although there is need for transparency and accountability of the President Mills' Funeral Committee, such calls are unfair to members of the committee who he said are already working under intense pressure.

Speaking to Joy FM, Dr. Akwetey said those making the transparency and accountability demands must accept the commitment made by the committee, to render full account, after the funeral rites of the late President.

At a press conference organized by the Funeral Planning Committee, the chairman of the Committee Kofi Totobi Quakyi pledged that the committee would render accounts of whatever funds that would be committed to the funeral.

But Policy Analyst with the Center for National Affairs, Rocky Obeng disagreed with IDEG's stance saying that, people have the propensity to be extravagant, when given access to unlimited resources.

Rocky Obeng told Joy FM the funeral committee must come up with an estimation of expenditure for the funeral rites. This, he believed, would serve as a parameter within which the committee would be working.

He said the current situation where the committee had been given free hand to operate, could also afford some unscrupulous persons on the committee to dip their hands into the national coffers as well make decisions which might not be financially prudent.

Dr. Akwetey however stated Ghanaians must give the committee the benefit of doubt, adding that this is not the time to be suspicious of one another.

He expressed optimism that the funeral the committee would render accounts of funds allocated for the funeral.