Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs want the Finance Ministry to as a matter of urgency address all outstanding issues relating to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and increase budget allocation for the OSP.
The Committee deems the allocation of GH₵129.5 million to the OSP insufficient for recruitment and the effective running of the office.
Out of the budgeted total amount of ₵129.5 million, ₵68.9million is to be used as compensation and about ₵34million is to be used for goods and services while ₵26 million is budgeted for stationery for the work of the OSP.
According to JoyNews Parliamentary Affairs Correspondent, Kwaku Asante the Office of the Special Prosecutor in a meeting with the Committee complained that the funds allocated are insufficient as it intends to recruit more lawyers and other personnel.
He added that officials of the Finance Ministry are expected to be in the House on Wednesday, to brief Parliament on why such an amount was allocated to the OSP.
Parliament has so far not approved any estimate allocated for any Ministry, Department or Agency in the 2023 Budget.
Meanwhile, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has warned that Ministers of State who absent themselves from Parliament will not have their budgets approved.
The Minority insists the Ministers must be present during the debate.
“I further warn that ministers who want their budgets’ approval must appear in person. If you delegate your deputy we will delegate your money for you some other day after appropriation. If they send emissaries to come for approval of budget estimates, we will send their approval to them the day they are available. So whip, make sure you have your estimates ready,” he said on the floor on Wednesday.
Source: myjoyonline