How presidency spent GH₵191m in nine months; including GH₵15m on car tyres, batteries

The presidency spent over GH₵191 million cedis in a space of nine months (i.e. January to September 2022) according to official documents analyzed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The North Tongu Member of Parliament disclosed in a January 31, 2023 social media post that he was poring over the expenditure items, 10 of which he shared on his social media handles.

In his opinion, the expenditure classification and the quantum of monies expended showed that the government was not taking seriously the call to drastically control expenditure in the face of an economic crisis.

“I couldn’t agree more with the revered and celebrated Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference following their timely appeal to the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to “present a posture that is consistent with the fact that the country is in dire straits or crisis” and their further demand for “drastic government expenditure control”,” Ablakwa wrote in his introduction.

Find below the list of ten items as presented by the MP

1) The President’s “operational enhancement expenditure” (whatever that animal is) cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a mind-boggling GHS59.4million (59,486,108.91);

2) The fuel bills paid at the presidency within the 9-month period under review cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a colossal GHS51.1million. (51,109,137.86). Empirical analysis conducted reveals that government failed abysmally in its promise to slash fuel expenditure by 50%;

3) President Akufo-Addo’s regional tours last year cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a staggering GHS16.9million (16,906,272.45);

4) Tyres and Batteries for official vehicles cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer an unbelievable GHS15million (15,000,000.00);

5) The last Cabinet Retreat cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a whopping GHS4.8million (4,800,000.00);

6) Payment for new vehicles cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer GHS6.5million (6,500,000.00) — this is particularly distressing considering Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s announcement of a ban on imported official vehicles in March last year;

7) Payment for Networking and ICT Equipment cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer an impressive GHS6.6million (6,600,000.00);

8)An additional expenditure on Office Equipment/Furniture and Fittings cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a fantastic GHS7.07million (7,070,315.28);

9) Telecommunications and Internet Services from January to September alone cost the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer a shocking GHS20million (20,000,000.00);

10) Vice President Alhaji Bawumia appears determined not to be left out. His office has on three occasions between January and September 2022 demanded what is simply described in the expenditure documents as release of funds for “URGENT AND OTHER EMERGENCIES ACTIVITIES” (wondering why emergencies and not emergency, and most importantly what exactly those emergencies and urgent matters were?). For the period under consideration and from GIFMIS Code 2210909 — a whopping GHS4.05million (4,050,227.18) of taxpayer funds from suffering Ghanaians was cumulatively released for the Vice President’s “emergency activities.”

Ablakwa challenged the Vice President’s office to clarify what went into the emergency funds allocated to his office stressing that the Minority Caucus will keep a keener eye on the presidency’s expenditure.

“Instructively, the 10-item expenditure summary above which amounts to a massive GHS191,522,061.68 represents a tiny sample selection from more than 250 expenditure items contained in the Expenditure Documents currently under parliamentary scrutiny,” he added.

Find Ablakwa’s full post below: