General News of Thursday, 12 February 2015
Source: Adomonline.com
New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Bantama in the Ashanti Region, Kokofu, Kwabena Henry has called on Ghanaians to help politicians ‘exorcise demons at the Ministry of Sports which convert humble ministers into arrogant persons once they are sent to the ministry.’
The MP commenting on the recent brouhaha about budgets sent for the just ended African Cup of Nations (AFCON) said that ‘demon’ is really doing Ghanaians in as they are constantly being denied the right measure of accountability from ministers posted to the ministry.
Ghanaians started crying foul about the budget sent for the just ended African Cup of Nations tournament following the refusal of the Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga to disclose the details of the budgets.
Critics argued that the Bawku Central MP should have taken a cue from the happenings at the Brazil 2014 World Cup scandal in which a commission of enquiry was set up to investigate certain personalities and disclose the budget for the tournament.
However the minister on return from the tournament remained adamant as journalists probe to know how much exactly was spent before, during and after the tournament.
The comment has been termed by cross-section of Ghanaians as ‘an arrogant one’ especially as the journalists were seeking information to serve Ghanaians.
“I don’t account to the press as minister but accountable to parliament and the president,” the minister argued.
For his part, the Bantama law maker called on Ghanaians to help ‘exorcise that demon at the ministry’ as it is gradually turning once humble ministers into arrogant ones.
He added that the gross mismanagement of national resources by politicians from the ruling government was in a way endangering the lives of several other politicians.
He therefore called on Mr. Ayriga to ‘take heart and talk to Ghanaians as tax payers have the right to demand explanation on how their monies are used’.