03 Nov Dr Kpikpi demands independent probe into South Africa evacuation funds
The Presidential Candidate of the Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG), Dr John Enyonam Kpikpi, has called on the government to establish an independent commission to investigate the financial arrangements surrounding the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, insisting that any public official found culpable must face the full rigours of the law.
While commending the government for its swift response to the plight of Ghanaians caught up in the xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Dr Kpikpi said concerns surrounding the management and deployment of funds for the evacuation exercise must not be overlooked.
However, he expressed concern over apparent irregularities in the expenditure on transportation fares, settlement allowances and transfer costs.
Speaking in an interview with the media, the PAG flagbearer said the humanitarian nature of the exercise should not prevent the country from examining how public funds were utilised, stressing that the concerns raised were serious enough to warrant independent scrutiny.
“The present government has shown real concern for our citizens who got into trouble in South Africa, which is what any good government should do. And we are so glad that they acted quickly and must have saved many lives and even brought many people back to Ghana safely, which we are very thankful for. However, it looks like the manner in which finances were deployed to bring people out in terms of fares, settlement allowance, and then transfer fares seem to leave a lot to be desired,” he said.
Dr Kpikpi consequently called for the establishment of an independent commission to investigate the financial transactions associated with the evacuation, saying the exercise must be subjected to a transparent process that would establish the facts and prevent allegations of corruption from undermining the government’s intervention.
He cautioned that the positive outcome of bringing stranded Ghanaians home should not be used to overshadow questions about the expenditure, adding that an independent body must examine the circumstances surrounding the payments and present its findings to the public.
“It is important that we don’t leave this good work to be covered and clouded and marred in a place of corruption again. That would be really unfortunate because it’s so important. Let us have people set up to look into it and present their report so that we shall get to the truth,” he stated.
The PAG presidential candidate further insisted that any government official found to have played a role in financial wrongdoing must be held accountable, irrespective of their position or influence.
He maintained that accountability should not end with the evacuation exercise but must become a fundamental requirement in the management of public resources across all government institutions. “Let us have people set up to look into it and present their report so that we shall get to the truth. And indeed, any government official, no matter who he is, if he or she is culpable, should face the full rigors of the law,” he added.
Source: Graphic.com
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