The Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta and Minister of State in charge of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen have been involved in clear cases of conflict of interest, North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said.
Mr Ablakwa said the private companies of the two appointees of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have been involved in contracts of the government, a development he said smacks of conflict of interest.
He expressed disappointment that the President has not acted on this situation.
Contributing to a discussion on a report compiled by Imani Africa titled “Financial Recklessness Index: Can The Government Rein Itself In,” on TV3’s Key Points Saturday June 4, he said ” The Finance Minister and the Minister of State in Charge of Finance, what is their own conduct when it comes to these discussions. We have said it without number that there is a clear conflict of Interest that arises. The Finance Minister’s Data Bank is still transaction advisor and is still receiving fees. The Minister of State, Charles Adu Boahen’s Black Star Holdings, we have said without number.
“Only this week the National anti-corruption coalition has also put out a statement that it is wrong, why are we accepting this? The President is not acting, the Finance Minister the Honrourable Ken Ofori Atta, the Honourable Charels Adu Boahen continue to profit or to benefit from this clear conflict of interest situation. So are we really committed to the fight against corruption, I don’t see that committeemen.”
He further urged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to up its efforts in tackling the financial irregularities involving government officials.
“One of the things that we thought the OSP would do, that he is independent, he is not cabinet minister, but unfortunately that office is still a pale shadow, it hasn’t really fulfilled the hopes and dreams that we had.
“I want to see a more aggressive Special Prosecutor who wades into these [financial irregularities]. At least the new one is showing some glimmer of hope but there is more room for improvement, he still doesn’t have a board, he doesn’t have the resources, deliberately starving the OSP, so I don’t blame him too much, he is doing is best under very terrible conditions.
“Are we really committed, these are billions of cedis, if we are able to save them, protect the public purse we wouldn’t be having the debt to GDP that we have.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
