GHANA@50 PLANNING ROCKS PARLIAMENT
Gideon Sackitey, Accra, February 25, 2007

In the past two weeks, Parliament has been rather an interesting place to be especially where members of the Legislative arm of government took on the Executive arm to explain how it (Executive) was keeping and administering public funds. A rare display of checks and balances showing real growth of our democratic system if you ask me.

Specifically, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for Komenda, Edina, Eguafo Abrem sought o find out how the Ghana@50 Secretariat was administering the 20 million dollars voted to it (Ghana@50 Secretariat) especially when beneficiary bodies and institutions are complaining that they are not getting monies for jobs done. This created a lot of heat debate last weekend with some exchanges between Dr Nduom and Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive of Ghana@50.

This week the situation was no better. Dr Wereko-Brobbey flatly refused to appear before the Finance Committee of Parliament. He was to appear and explain to the committee how things were going in terms of payments for jobs done towards preparations for the 50th Anniversary celebrations of Ghana’s Independence. Additionally, he was just in the words of one MP saying that, “account for the money we (Parliament) approved for the use of the Planning Committee in organising he Ghana@50 Celebrations.

To a number of the MP’s on all sides of the House, Dr Wereko-Brobbey’s attitude was a complete show of contempt for the august House. Consequently when Dr Wereko-Brobbey failed to show up last Tuesday before the Finance Committee, they took him to task.

Mr. Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs stood up for him when the matter came onto the floor telling Parliament on Friday told parliament that he could only invite Mr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive of the Ghana@50 Secretariat, to appear before Parliament after conferring with the Chairman of Finance Committee over his failure to respond to a summons by the committee.

He explained that he needed time to gather facts from the committee's chairman and also meet with the leadership of the House to decide on whether to invite Mr Wereko-Brobbey before a closed sitting of the House on Thursday, March One.

Mr Owusu-Adjapong was responding to a request from some MPs that Mr Wereko -Brobbey be brought before the House to respond to his alleged contempt of the Finance Committee, which had extended an invitation to him to account for the 20 million dollars set aside for the golden jubilee celebrations.

Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, (NDC-Tamale South) said Mr Wereko-Brobbey's failure to attend to the Finance Committee's invitation was a show of disrespect to Parliament.

He said he should be invited to account for his stewardship because it was the House which approved the 20 million dollars.

"We are requesting that he appears before the House to tell us how the money was disbursed... the people of Ghana want an account of how that money is being used." Mr Iddrisu said.

Mr Edward Doe Adjaho the Deputy Minority Leader was more blunt when he noted that the crux of the matter was the fact that a Chief Executive had refused to appear before Mr Speaker's Committee... and that it was a serious matter that cannot be left to go unquestioned.

Mr Kodjo Mpianim, Chief of Staff when contacted on the matter said Mr Wereko-Broober could not be required to appear before Parliament since he was just heading an implementing institution of which he (Mpianim) was heading, arguing that if anything at all he was the right person to appear before the House.

But constitutional experts have discounted Mr Mpianim’s claim saying the 1992 constitution empowers Parliament to summon any public officer to appear before any of its committees when it deems it fit and no one should obstruct it.

As it is, Mr Wereko-Brobbey who together with Mr Mpianim are of the opinion that they are being called to render accounts in the middle of a project and asked that people should wait till the Auditor-General’s report comes out at the end of the year.

Other social analysts agree saying that they were being made to render premature account of their stewardship.

However, Mr Mahama Ayariga, NDC-Bawku Central and Nana Akomea, NPP-Okaikoi South agree that Mr Wereko-Brobbey is enjoined by the 1992 Constitution to appear before the House.

“The least he could do is appear before the House and come along with him officials he believes could help him do the job of satisfying the Committee of its findings,” Mr Yariga noted. “The Constitution is clear on that and he must appear,” Nana Akomea intimated.

Snippets of information gathered by Ghanadot is that Parliament is utterly concerned about the exact use of the earlier 20 million approved for use of the Planning Committee of Ghana@50, not only because contractors claim they have not been paid for jobs done, but because the Planning Committee is requiring extra money ahead of the Independence Celebrations which is just about three weeks ahead.

Indeed, many Ghanaians are not happy with the work of the Planning Committee of the Ghana@50 and the Ghana@50 Secretariat itself. Works are delayed and enthusiasm not high enough with people showing up late for the programmes slated for the celebrations or not showing up at all because they have not been “whipped” enough to get along with the idea. But we wait to see.

Gideon Sackitey, Ghanadot.com, Accra. February 25, 2007.