There were heated exchanges during the sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing over Ghana National Petroleum Corporation’s (GNPC) allocations to the Okyehene; the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Rebecca foundation and others.
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George asked why the Board of GNPC had to directly approve more than five million cedis to be paid to the mentioned individuals and entities without routing it through the GNPC foundation.
Board Secretary, Matilda Ohene who was present struggled to answer resulting in a follow up question from Chairman of the Committee, Dr James Klutse Avedzi,.
This was however, greeted with disdain from Deputy Ranking Member for the Committee Mohammed Hardi Tufeiru.
The development brought the proceedings to an abrupt end.
BACKGROUND
In November 2019, the Chamber of Petroleum Consumers, a consumer advocacy, called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to initiate probe into the processes leading to what it called “wanton dissipation of the taxpayers’ monies by the GNPC.”
The call came in the wake of a leaked internal memo, which said the Corporation approved the said amount for sponsorship package for some institutions including the Rebecca Foundation as well as the 20th anniversary celebration of the Okyenhene.
Dr Kwame Baah Nuarko, the General Manager in-charge of Sustainability at GNPC, who justified the approval of the sponsorship package, said the GH¢120, 000.00 to the First Lady’s Foundation, the US1.8 million to the Okyenhene’s 20th Anniversary, GH¢50,000 to the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), US$30,000 to Ghana Boxing Association, and a GH¢400,000 towards the preparations of the Damba Festival, were not new as they were in line with GNPC’s vision.
