The Minority in Parliament has demanded a detailed public accounting of the ¢16 million contribution by Engineers and Planners (E&P) towards the evacuation of Ghanaians from South Africa, insisting the government must disclose the specific passenger batches, airline invoices and the ultimate recipient of the funds.
Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Committee and Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosome Freho, Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, told journalists that the call is strictly about transparency and accountability, not an attack on the company or any suggestion of political favour.
“For us, government says Engineers and Planners contributed 16 million towards the evacuation exercise. We are not attacking Engineers and Planners for supporting Ghanaians in distress. We are not alleging that the contribution purchased political favour. We have no documentary basis for such claim,” he said.
Earlier reports indicated that Engineers and Planners was financing air tickets for returnees under the second phase of the exercise.
However, Asafo-Adjei noted that the final account “does not identify which ticket, which passenger batches, which airline, which invoice, or which payee account for the 16 million.”
“We therefore make no assumption about how the contribution was ultimately applied. We ask government to produce the schedule. Which batches and invoices did the 16 million settle? Who received the money? Was the payment made directly to the airlines, through an intermediary, or as reimbursement to government, or through several transactions? These are accounting questions and the records should answer them,” he said.
The Minority at the press conference also sought an update on government’s earlier commitment to pursue compensation and accountability for Ghanaians affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“This exercise did not begin with accounting. It began because Ghanaians feared for their lives and livelihoods in South Africa. Some lost businesses and properties. Some were assaulted. Ghanaians’ lives were lost,” Asafo-Adjei stated.
He asked how many claims have been registered, what value of properties and business losses have been documented, what formal representations have been made to the South African authorities, what investigations or prosecutions are known to the government, and what the present pathway to compensation or restitution is for the affected citizens.
“Bringing home people was the first duty. Pursuing justice for what happened to them is also part of the state responsibility.”
On the procurement of flights and related services, the Minority acknowledged the urgency of the operation but insisted that emergency status does not remove the need for clarity.
“The emergency procurement is still procurement. Nobody disputes that there was an urgent procurement. Agencies may justify exceptional procurement measures. It may justify speed, it may justify emergency or single-source arrangement where the law permits. We are therefore not declaring today that any procurement law was breached. We are asking government to tell the country what procurement method was used for each major flight and service arrangement,” he said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
