Entertainment, Clothing Allowance In Sanitation Ministry budget ‘needless’ – Minority

The Minority in parliament has raised red flags over sections of the budget estimates for the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources describing it as needless. 

The accusation follows the allocation of some GH¢151,000.00 in the 2019 budget estimate for the Ministry as security, clothing and entertainment allowance.

Parliament approved GH¢246,966,071 being the budget estimates for the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources for the 2019 Financial Year.

The allocation according to information is to help the Ministry implement its programmes and activities for 2019.

Nana Amoakoh, the Chairman of the Committee on Works and Housing, who presented the Committee’s Report on the floor of the House, outlined the objectives of the Ministry, which is to improve the living standards of the people through increased access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene practices and sustainable management of water resources.

The Ministry, therefore, provided the outlook for its programmes and activities for the 2019 Financial Year.

However in an interview with the media, Minority Spokesperson on Water Resources, Works and Housing, Sampson Ahi, said the expenditure items such as GHc 18000 meant for entertainment allowances and a host of other allocations do not depict a ministry that is judiciously using the country’s meagre resources.

“We are giving money to the Minister [Cecilia Dapaah] and the Ministers entertainment allowance, we have watchman allowance and you have extra watchman allowance as if that person who’s engaged as watchman is going to engage another person, we have clothing allowance and so on and so forth,” he said.

According to him, the allocations have been duplicated.

“When I was there, I was never given a clothing and entertainment allowance. Recruitment into the security is about GHC 81,000. Watchman allowance GHC 36,000. Clothing allowance GHC 18,000 and another entertainment allowance GHC 16,000. They are duplicating the expenses.

“We don’t need to provide money to the Minister to provide entertainment. I was expecting him to provide answers to it. When I was in office for four years, we never had a budget line called entertainment allowance.” he indicated.