It’s cruel to loot COVID-19 funds meant to save lives – NDC roasts government

Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, has taken a swipe at the H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration over alleged embezzlement of state funds.

He described it as cruel for any government to loot funds collected in the name of the COVID-19 funds meant to save lives during the pandemic period.

"It is the height of cruelty for funds which were meant to save lives during a public health crisis to have been looted in this manner.

According to him, "One thing which will tarry is how the covid-19 pandemic became a corruption bonanza and a milking cow for the President and his officials."

He made the statement in a lecture dubbed "The True State of The Nation Address," held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Monday, March 20.

The opposition party’s chairman cited the Auditor General’s report, which captured the Ministry of Information as having used some amount without approval.

In the said report, the Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu revealed that the Information Ministry paid some ¢151,500 to its own management and staff without approval in the wake of the pandemic in 2020.

The Auditor General, in its audit of COVID-19 transactions for the period March 2020 to June 2022, directed the ministry to refund the aforementioned amount.

"During our review, we noted that senior management staff and other supporting staff of the Ministry of Information paid themselves a total amount of GH¢151,500.00 as COVID-19 risk allowance for coming to work during the lockdown," the report stated.

This attitude, according to Mr. Asiedu Nketiah, is dishonourable for government officials to portray as if they are helping to combat the menace of the pandemic while turning their backs to fill their pockets with the money the nation solicited.

"It is dishonourable for officials of Kojo Oppong Nkrumah-led Ministry of Information to line their pockets with COVID funds under the guise of risk allowances," he said.