The Vice-Chairman of Finance Committee of Parliament Patrick Yaw Boamah has described as unfair and misplaced criticisms against a $28million facility for procurement of vehicles for lawmakers in the 8th parliament.
According to the Okaikoi Central MP, the Legislature is the only arm of government where individuals purchase and fuel their own vehicles.
The government on Tuesday laid before parliament a $28 million interest-free facility with the National Investment Bank for lawmakers to purchase vehicles.
The MPs are supposed to repay the loan within four years.
A $3.5 million separate facility from the same bank has also been laid for the purchase of vehicles by members of the council of state.
The development as always has generated public outcry.
Speaking to the media Mr. Yaw Boamah asked his colleagues to reject the deal so the state is compelled to purchase official vehicles for MPs just as it does for ministers and other members of the executive and judiciary.
He told parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan “if I have the power I’ll ask my colleagues to reject the facility. The simple reason that all the other arms of government, vehicles are procured for them without having to go through this process where the media is always on the back of MPs for contracting a loan.”
“I don’t see the reason why we should be the subject of this public bashing. Because it’s a loan agreement that the finance ministry contracted with the Investment Bank of Ghana for MP’s and members of the council of state.”
He stressed: “like you rightly said, it’s done after every four years but I’ve never heard of anybody talking about why we procure loans for members of the Council of State. Because MPs are easy targets, it’s a necessary evil.”
“But nobody has asked of why the state from the executive and the judiciary are given vehicles without having to procure a loan. That’s why I’m saying that if I have my way I’ll ask MPs to reject the loan and ask the government to procure vehicles for us to use in the performance of our duty. After four years we leave the vehicle for them.”
He added, “before I started taking my salary in the eighth parliament, I was given a notice that from February a certain amount of money will be deducted from my salary in anticipation of this loan which is yet to be approved in July.”
“So, from February this year, I started paying even though I hadn’t s seen the loan. That one nobody saw anything wrong with it.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5fm
