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CSOs urge ‘more transparency’ in COVID-19 expenditure
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Four Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for “more transparency and accountability” in the use of funds meant to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organisations including, SEND Ghana and the International Budget Partnership, indicate that there have been “significant gaps and inconsistencies” in the provision of information on COVID-19 expenditures by the government.
Recommendations put forward by the CSOs, in a recent survey report, highlighted the need for the Auditor General to “conduct special audits into COVID related spending to ensure value for money.”
The CSOs, presenting the survey report dubbed “Managing COVID Funds: The Accountability Gap”, urged the Ministry of Finance to provide “quarterly briefs on COVID-19 spending from all funding sources.”
The findings presented at stakeholders’ forum in Accra on Tuesday, focused on transparency, extent of public participation, gender-responsiveness, among other aspects of Ghana’s COVID-19 response.
It further sought feedback from individuals on some of the policies introduced by the government between 2020 and 2021 to help tackle the pandemic.
Other partners of the study are the Network for Women’s Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT), BudgiT Ghana, and Community Development Alliance (CDA).
The survey report, which commended the government’s role in reducing the impact of the pandemic, however, indicated that “the lack of information” on emergency medical procurements was one of the “transparency gaps” in the management of COVID-19 funds.
“Many contracts have been entered into by the government of Ghana in the procurement of health equipment, infrastructure and services to help contain the pandemic and mitigate its socio-economic costs. For now, information is lacking as to what procurement processes were undertaken and whether value for money has been ensured.
“There were limited formal opportunities made available by the government to consult with the public around the formulation or implementation of the COVID-19 response, though there were some informal inputs made by specific interest groups,” the report said.
Madam Patricia Akakpo, a representative of NETRIGHT, presenting a gender analysis of COVID-19 related policies, emphasised that the pandemic had worsened existing gender and income inequalities.
She, therefore, urged stakeholders to ensure that policies meant to control the pandemic do not impact the poor and vulnerable negatively.
She stressed the need for government to help eliminate stereotypes and harmful practices such as forced and early marriage and several others that discriminated against women, and called for adequate financial and social reward for health workers to help reduce attrition from the health service.
By Ernest Nutsugah
A Prophet and General Overseer of Jesus Prayer Ministry at Ejisu Asuasi, Kumasi, and Pig Farm, Accra, Rt. Rev. Dr Mrs Grace Frimpong-Boateng, has urged Ghanaians to pray fervently to avert any disaster that would endanger many.
“God hears prayers, and intercessory prayers will provide your family safety and protection so you can live long and enjoy life in this world,” she added.
Rt. Rev. Dr Mrs Frimpong-Boateng was speaking with The Spectator in an interview last week.
According to her, she had a revelation that there would be a tragedy that will harm many people, however, effective prayers can avert it.
She said that the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) predicted another heavy downpour from Thursday to Sunday following the recent torrential rain that devastated Accra and other areas. However, strong intercessory prayers prevented the prediction, which would have been catastrophic.
She claims that whenever she shares something that God has revealed to her, she does not receive widespread support from people to join her in effective intercession.
As a result, she has urged everyone including members of parliament, cabinet ministers, traditional authorities, religious leaders, and other citizens to exercise caution and pray fervently in order to avoid premature death.
According to Rt. Rev. Dr Mrs Frimpong-Boateng the recent downpour in Accra which claimed lives and destroyed property was unusual.
“The sea was irritated because of certain rituals performed and caused it to spew forth, exposing the dirt.” There are still some rites in the sea, and they will definitely surface,” she disclosed.
“Let’s pray that God would burn and destroy the things that have contaminated the sea,” she indicated.
By Spectator
The Adentan Circuit Court has convicted a mason for stealing a four-year-old boy from Kpedze in the Volta Region and bringing him to Accra.
David Kpandoyo, 25, a Togolese national, pleaded guilty to a charge of child stealing.
The court, presided over by Mrs Angela Attachie, convicted him on his own plea and adjourned sentencing to July 14, 2026.
Kpandoyo told the court that he had gone to a drinking spot to consume alcohol when the child approached him.
He said he gave the boy some money, took him home, and could not remember what happened afterwards because he was intoxicated.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Patience Mario, assisted by Chief Inspector Jacob Nyarko, led the prosecution.
The prosecution said the complainant, Mr Bismark Gbago, is a 52-year-old painter residing at New Legon in Accra.
The victim’s mother, Ms Patience Ablordefey Afefa, is a 25-year-old hairdresser living at Kpedze in the Volta Region with the victim, a Kindergarten One pupil.
The prosecution said Kpandoyo also resided at New Legon, where he worked as a mason.
It said the victim went missing at Kpedze on July 1, 2026, at about 18:00 hours.
On July 3, at about 6:30pm, the complainant reported to the New Legon Police that he had found the four-year-old boy wandering around the area and that the child was unable to identify his home.
The prosecution said that on July 4, at about 4 p.m., the complainant informed the Police that after announcements were made within the community, Kpandoyo came forward claiming that the boy was his son.
The complainant and Kpandoyo subsequently went to the police Station to identify the child.
However, Kpandoyo was unable to produce the child’s birth certificate or lead the Police to the child’s mother.
Later that day, the police received a flyer bearing the name and telephone numbers of the victim’s mother, together with the child’s photograph, indicating that he had gone missing from Kpedze.
The police contacted the victim’s mother and asked her to report to the New Legon Police Station with the child’s birth certificate and weighing card because another person was claiming to be the child’s parent.
On July 6, the victim’s mother and her relatives reported to the Police Station and stated that they did not know Kpandoyo.
During investigations, Kpandoyo admitted in his cautioned statement that the victim was not his child.
He further confessed that while working at Kpedze, he stole the boy and brought him to Accra. –GNA
