The Member of Parliament for Builsa South Dr. Clement Apaak has criticized the government for neglecting the payment of school feeding caterers and instead released funds for the construction of the National Cathedral.
He disclosed that Monday June 13th, marks the start of the sixth week, since caterers under the School Feeding Programme placed on record their plight to government on their inability to continue to render services.
But, the “government decisions arrogantly continued to erode their meagre savings spent to sustain the programme which has affected and whittled away by registered micro economic indicators.
“In all humility, it is not right, it is immoral, and is unaccountable for Akufo-Addo to cause Ken Ofori-Atta to apply GHC 200m of public funds towards building an unapproved, and unbudgeted cathedral; when school children sit at home because school feeding caterers are owed their due,” Mr. Apaak disclosed in a feature article date June 13, 2022.
He continued: “Unlike the cathedral project, the budget for the School Feeding Programme was contained in the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, which was debated, considered and approved by the representatives of the people. Release of public funds for the construction of an unbudgeted and unapproved cathedral to the detriment of budgeted and approved programmes like School feeding cannot be tolerated in any democracy, and we must not tolerate same.”
The Ranking Member on the Education Committee described the funds released by the Finance Minister for the National Cathedra as illegal.
“So far, the Akufo-Addo government has illegally and unlawfully spent a whopping GHC 200m to finance the fulfilment of his personal pledge to his God to build him a cathedral; without the requisite permission and parliamentary approval for any such disbursement of state funds.
“In his own words, Akufo-Addo said, “I made a pledge to God, that, if I become the President after two unsuccessful attempts in the 2016 Presidential Elections, I will build a Cathedral to the glory of God.” Meanwhile, he has reneged on the use of taxpayers money to address issues citizens voted him into power to tackle; such as the payment of school feeding caterers to carry out their services of providing decent meals for 1.69 million pupils to continue to keep these children in school.
“Though a Christian, it is not acceptable and remains inappropriate for Akufo-Addo to use public resources in the fulfilment of a personal pledge, such as the building of a cathedral, whilst a significant number of the population wallow in glaring abject poverty. As the case stood, the narrative was that the building of the cathedral was not going to burden the public purse. So, why did Akufo-Addo stealthily initiate processes, unlawfully, using his cousin Ken Ofori-Atta, to do otherwise.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
