{"id":450563,"date":"2017-12-28T11:01:55","date_gmt":"2017-12-28T11:01:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghana-mma.com\/2017\/12\/28\/only-ghs1-5m-approved-for-hawa-koomson-not-ghs1bn-government\/"},"modified":"2017-12-28T11:01:55","modified_gmt":"2017-12-28T11:01:55","slug":"only-ghs1-5m-approved-for-hawa-koomson-not-ghs1bn-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2017\/12\/28\/only-ghs1-5m-approved-for-hawa-koomson-not-ghs1bn-government\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Only GHS1.5m&#8217; approved for Hawa Koomson, not GHS1bn \u2013 Government"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"medsection1\">\n<!-- End of html generated by this->header() --><\/p>\n<p class=\"floatLeft\">General News of Thursday, 28 December 2017<\/p>\n<p class=\"floatRight\"><strong>Source: <\/strong>classfmonline.com<\/p>\n<p>2017-12-28<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-left\">\n<p class=\"article-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/13723191.295.jpg\" alt=\"Mustapha.abdul Hamid Information\" title=\"Mustapha.abdul Hamid Information\" width=\"295\" height=\"295\" \/><span class=\"image_caption\"><span>Minister of Information Mustapha Abdul-Hamid<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"noPrint\">\n<div id=\"537626303\" style=\"width:300;height:250;margin:0;padding:0\">\n<p>\t\t  <noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"b2ad7fa7fd\" name=\"b2ad7fa7fd\" src=\"http:\/\/ghanaweb-d.openx.net\/w\/1.0\/afr?auid=537626303&amp;cb=151125813973067\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\"><a href=\"\/\/ghanaweb-d.openx.net\/w\/1.0\/rc?cs=b2ad7fa7fd&amp;cb=151125813973067\"><\/p>\n<p>\t\t  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/1514458914_343_ai\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/iframe><\/noscript><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"clear:right\">Government has explained that only GHS1.5million is \u201cdirectly available\u201d to the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives per its budget out of the over GHS1billion \u201cappropriated ceiling made available in the 2018 Budget for the three Development Authorities to validate, properly budget with, plan and execute their on-ground projects, once established\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>A statement signed by Minister of Information Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, said the Minister of Special Development Initiatives, Hawa Koomson, \u201cplays only a supervisory role over the Development Authorities and, thus, does not execute their projects and programmes directly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAccordingly, out of the over GHS1 billion that is at issue, only GHS1.5 million is available to the Ministry directly; the rest of the amount is only an appropriated ceiling,\u201d the statement explained, adding that: \u201cThe Development Authorities would be required by the Public Management and Financial Act (PFMA) to adhere to strict procedure as outlined by the law, and which aims to prevent wastage and dissipation of public funds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The clarification by government follows widespread outrage expressed by Ghanaians, especially the Minority in parliament, civil society organisations and ant-graft agencies, against the over GHS1billion budget approved by parliament for the Special Development Initiatives ministry.<\/p>\n<p>The Minority called for Mavis Hawa Koomson\u2019s resignation following the budget approval, describing her as \u201cincompetent\u201d to be at the helm of affairs.<\/p>\n<p>In the same budget, GHS800,000 was allotted for the construction of a website, which she later explained away as an error. The figure, Ms Koomson noted, was GHS80,000.<\/p>\n<p>Below is the full statement issued by the Minister of Information:<\/p>\n<p>27th December, 2017<\/p>\n<p><b><\/b>For Immediate Release<\/p>\n<p><b><\/b>STATEMENT ON THE 2018 BUDGET OF THE MINISTRY OF SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES<\/p>\n<p>Government has taken note of the public discussions generated over the 2018 budget estimates of the Ministry for Special Development Initiatives. Whilst commending the interest shown by Members of Parliament, sections of the media, and citizens, in ensuring that the State is efficient in its expenditure, it is important, however, to reject the false claims by some that the Ministry\u2019s budget intention is to misappropriate or misapply state funds in this case.<\/p>\n<p>1.\tThe matter of the Actual appropriated amounts<\/p>\n<p>The process of budget preparation requires initial estimates, setting of expenditure ceilings by the Ministry of Finance, and the passing of appropriated ceilings by Parliament. It is important to note that, in this case, the final Appropriations Bill, as passed by Parliament, has set forth the true picture, which is significantly different from the document in circulation. <\/p>\n<p>The Appropriated Bill is available on the Ministry of Finance\u2019s website. For example, regarding the Community Water Systems, ambulances and school facilities (including classroom blocks with ICT centres and other amenities), government notes that the projected costs as submitted by the Minister and approved by Parliament are within the market competitive range for such projects. <\/p>\n<p>For example, per the specification given the Ministry by the Ghana Ambulance Service, it costs between one hundred thousand and one hundred and fifty thousand United States Dollars to purchase one ambulance. The United States Dollar equivalent of what the Minister stated in the budget is 80,000 Dollars. The kind of water system that is envisaged under this programme has cost other institutions as much as GH\u00a2167,000 to build. <\/p>\n<p>In any event, when the Development Authorities are in place, they will be responsible for the execution of these projects based on competitive pricing. The public will be better served if discussions on this matter are based on the official final appropriated amounts, which are those which bind the public purse.<\/p>\n<p>2.\tThe matter of How much has been appropriated to the Ministry vrs How much is appropriated to the Development Authorities<\/p>\n<p>The Development Authorities\u2019 Bill (to be signed into law this week) empowers the development authorities to \u201cco-ordinate the planning and implementation of integrated development activities at the constituency level for the realisation of the strategic goal of each development zone.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Each of the Development Authorities will have a a Governing Board that will be responsible for the approval of annual operatives plans and budget of the Authority and review the quarterly performance of the Authority, including statement of accounts of money\u2019s disbursed from the funds of the Authority. The Minister for Special Development Initiatives, therefore, plays only a supervisory role over the Development Authorities and, thus, does not execute their projects and programmes directly. <\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, out of the over GH\u00a21 billion that is at issue, only GH\u00a21.5 million is available to the Ministry directly; the rest of the amount is only an appropriated ceiling made available in the 2018 Budget for the three Development Authorities to validate, properly budget with, plan and execute their on-ground projects, once established. The Development Authorities would be required by the Public Management and Financial Act (PFMA) to adhere to strict procedure as outlined by the law, and which aims to prevent wastage and dissipation of public funds.<\/p>\n<p>3.\tThe matter of whether or not the Development Authorities Concept will amount to wasteful administrative expenditure<\/p>\n<p>The establishment of the three Development Authorities is to ensure a bottom-up approach to development, which takes control of local development away from a central authority. <\/p>\n<p>With the establishment of the three development authorities, part of the yearly national allocation for capital expenditure, will be taken and directly allocated to all 275 constituencies across the country to be administered by the Development Authorities to ensure that the traditional inefficiencies of centralized capital expenditure is cured. <\/p>\n<p>The balance of GH\u00a21.198 billion has now been approved for the Authorities to develop projects with and expend accordingly commencing with the 2018 budget.<\/p>\n<p>The establishment of the Development Authorities to administer expenditure of the equivalent of $1 million per constituency was a specific manifesto commitment of the ruling New Patriotic Party, as amplified by several pronouncements of its presidential ticket in the 2016 election campaign, and government is determined to implement to the letter this vision which will ensure equitable distribution of amenities and opportunities to every community up and down the country.<\/p>\n<p>4.\tProtecting the Public Purse<\/p>\n<p>Now that appropriation is complete, there are enough safeguards to ensure that value for money audits are conducted at each procurement stage when the Development Authorities are established and commence their work. The Public Financial Management Act requires processing such as issuance of commencement certificates (which require benchmarking of projected expenditures). <\/p>\n<p>The Procurement processes additionally require value for money assessments. The processes for releasing funds at the Finance Ministry since 2017, in strict accordance with the PFMA have been extremely diligent leading to huge savings to the public purse this year, a reason for which government has been accused for not spending enough. The processes will continue to remain extremely disciplined in 2018 and beyond, and are the ones that really determine how safe the public purse is.<\/p>\n<p>5.\tConclusion<\/p>\n<p>Whilst we acknowledge that such public scrutiny, especially of budgets, helps to ensure the protection of the public purse, we would urge, especially media practitioners, to focus on the official final appropriations, as well as what the actual processes are, including the inherent checks and safeguards therein. Sweeping statements and categorizations which are not informed by the actual official processes and amounts, will lead to flawed analysis, which is unhelpful to Ghanaian democracy.<\/p>\n<p>\u2026\u2026signed\u2026\u2026<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\nMustapha Abdul-Hamid<br \/>&#13;<br \/>\n(Minister for Information)<\/p>\n<p><!-- uploaded by: -1 updated by: -1 --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Start of html generated by this->footer() -->\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a style=\"display:none\" rel=\"follow\" href=\"http:\/\/megatheme.ir\/\" title=\"\u0642\u0627\u0644\u0628 \u0648\u0631\u062f\u067e\u0631\u0633\">\u0642\u0627\u0644\u0628 \u0648\u0631\u062f\u067e\u0631\u0633<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>General News of Thursday, 28 December 2017 Source: classfmonline.com 2017-12-28 Minister of Information Mustapha Abdul-Hamid Government has explained that only GHS1.5million is \u201cdirectly available\u201d to the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives per its budget out of the over GHS1billion \u201cappropriated ceiling made available in the 2018 Budget for the three Development Authorities to validate, properly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":450564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-450563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-local-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>&#039;Only GHS1.5m&#039; 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