Probe Chief of Staff’s cash doling spree – ASEPA boss to Auditor-General, PAC

Executive Director of the Alliance of Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mensah Thompson, has called on the Auditor–General and Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to initiate a probe into the expenditures of the office of the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare.

In a post on his social media handle, he indicated that the probe should span the five years in which Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been in office.

According to him, the level of “opulence, indiscretion and extravagance” emanating from the office of the Chief of Staff “leaves much to be desired.”

To this end, he said the Auditor–General and PAC must audit the accounts of the office to know the source of the “reckless benevolence” from the office and how monies are properly accounted for in the budgetary allocations to the office of the President.

“One of the places which requires urgent auditing in the midst of this economic crisis is the office the Chief of Staff.

“For what I know, there’s no hen laying golden eggs in that foya but the level of opulence, indiscretion and extravagance that we keep hearing from that office leaves so much be desired.

“The renting of jets, the doling out of cash to truant MPs, doling out cash to celebrities, journalists and influencers etc are all attributed to this office who do not account for the pennies of the poor tax payer.

“For what is worth, we call on the Auditor General to commission a special enquiry into the activities of the office of the Chief of Staff for the last five years.

“Afterwards we would expect that the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament would also proceed to invite Auntie Frema to tell us the source of the reckless benevolence we keep hearing from her office and how those monies are properly accounted for in the budgetary allocations to the office of the President,” Mensah Thompson posted on his Facebook wall.

Background

Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong in an interview with Asaase Radio alleged that the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Opare gave him an amount of 120,000 to pay into the account of absentee MP, Sarah Adwoa Safo.

Although Kennedy Agyapong did not mention the currency, many reports suggest the amount was in the local currency.

He also alleged that the Chief of Staff facilitated chartering of a private jet flight for the MP to return for the E-Levy vote.

The latest allegation against the Chief of Staff is by entertainment personality, Afia Schwarzenegger.

According to her, the Chief of Staff gave her family GH¢50,000 not only for the funeral but also catered for transportation of her late father’s remains to Ghana.