Government can’t engage in reckless spending and turn around to blame coronavirus – John Jinapor.

Member of Parliament for Yapei Kusawgu John Abdulai Jinapor has dismissed claims by government officials to the effect that 19 billion was used for Covid-related expenditures.

Government cannot engage in reckless Expenditures and turn around to blame Covid 19 for their own failures.

“It is therefore inaccurate the claim by some government officials that 19 billion was used for covid related expenditures,” he said in a statement.

Below is his full statement…

From Table 12B, Page 274 of the 2021 Budget Statement, only 1,734,530,274.99 billion cedis of the Programmed 19,300,600,000 billion was utilised for Covid Expenditure.

The remaining amount of the 16,460,365,131.54 billion cedis was used to pay interest, Principal and other regular budgetary Expenditures.

Indeed of the 19,300,600,000.00 cedis allocated, a total amount of 18,194,895,406.53 cedis representing 94% was utilised.

Of the total amount utilised only 1,734,530,274.99 billion cedis representing 9.4% of the total utilised expenditure was for Covid Expenditure.

The remaining 90% was utilised for other purposes including interest payments and amortisation.

Indeed from Appendix 2C of the 2021 Budget Statement, a total amount of GH¢11.162 billion was programmed for total Covid-related expenditures for 2020. At the end of the year, provisional actual expenditure on Covid-19 amounted to GH¢8.123 billion.

These include expenditures on security, health workers, etc.

It is therefore inaccurate the claim by some government officials that 19 billion was used for covid related expenditures.

Government cannot engage in reckless Expenditures and turn around to blame Covid 19 for their own failures.