Pressure Group, Center for Democratic Governance (CDG), is demanding that investigations are conducted into allegations leveled against some appointees in the current Akufo-Addo administration for receiving double rent allowances.
At a press briefing held by the caucus of Center for Democratic Governance in Accra under the theme: “Corruption Is Indivisible: Double Rent Allowance Scandal Must Be Investigated”, the group called on the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to carry out its mandate with immediacy.
According to CDG, it is unfair for the CID to investigate some former appointees of the erstwhile Mahama administration over the alleged receipt of double salaries and not delve into the recent double rent allowance allegations against the appointees of the current government.
Chief Convener of the CDG, Dr. Ebenezer K. Hayford said, “though the CID has decided to investigate some former appointees of the erstwhile Mahama administration over the alleged receipt of double salaries but the matter seems strange that the investigation is limited to ministers who served in the previous administration and has turned a deaf ears to the double rent allowances allegation”.
He said stated that the root of all these allegations are the gross inefficiencies in the salary administration in the public sector which have to be corrected.
“These inefficiencies become visible where the structures at the Controller and Accountant General’s Department do not adhere strictly to the clause of Article 71 of the 1992 constitution”, he said.
CDG’s comments follow utterances by Member of Parliament for Ada East constituency, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah, and Member of Parliament for Bodi, Sampson Ahi, who are alleging that some appointees in the current administration are guilty of receiving double rent allowances.
According to them, the current appointees are receiving accommodation allowances while occupying state bungalows.
An ongoing probe by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) into the allegations of double salary paid to some appointees of the former government has been the subject of public debate amid claims of political witch-hunting.
Some of the MPs who are being interrogated and cautioned for stealing include Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, Second Deputy Speaker Alban Bagbin, as well as Wa Central MP and ex-minister of Public-Private Partnerships, Dr Rashid Pelpuo; Inusah Fuseini, former Lands and Natural Resources Minister; Comfort Doyoe Ghansah, former Minister of State in charge of Social and Allied Institutions; Mr Eric Opoku, former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and Fifi Kwetey, former Deputy Minister of Finance.
