COVID-19: Dr Kwame Asiedu Sarpong Accuses Government Of Looting State Money Under The Guise Of The Pandemic

• The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has accused government officials of looting state money
• Dr Kwame Sarpong Asiedu says the plundering was done under the guise of fighting COVID-19
• This comes on the heels of the report by the Auditor General into the transactions by the government during the height of the pandemic

Dr Kwame Asiedu Sarpong, a Research Fellow at the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has accused the Akufo-Addo-led government of looting state resources under the guise of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to him, the huge sums of money that were accrued to the state as donations should have been enough to address the country’s current economic mess.

The comments of the renowned pharmacist come on the back of a report by the Auditor General into the transactions by the government during the height of the pandemic.

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Speaking to Accra-based Joy News, the CDD fellow minced no words in accusing the government of seeking to enrich itself using COVID-19.

“In actual fact, Covid gave us a bounty based on what the Auditor-General has said. We are at the IMF and our economy is in shambles because we used Covid as a facade to do bad things. Very bad things. Extremely bad and diabolical things. We used Covid to plunder the state.”

Despite mobilizing a total amount of GH¢21.8 billion as donations to mitigate the impact of the pandemic in Ghana, the government has turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion economic bailout.

Netizens have been reacting to the comments by the CDD fellow, some of which have been compiled by YEN.com.gh.

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@hughes_onair

The Auditor-General's covid report has shockingly revealed that we had so much to waste and mismanage in the name of COVID. Beyond the shock, poor citizens still have been compelled by gov't to endure the payment of COVID levy day and night! #Whew®

@KevinEkowTaylor

@konkrumah what do you say to this? #Senior management staff and other staff of Ministry of Information paid themselves 151,500 cedis as covid-19 risk allowance for coming to work during the lock down without approval from Chief of Staff . Auditor General.

@Bridget_Otoo

If you were thinking of accepting the debt exchange program, I hope this auditor general’s report has made you angry enough to keep rejecting it!

@Rockson2

In any normal gov, the report from the Auditor General will lead to mass resignations and prosecutions. But I have no confidence in this gov to take action. But at least the next time an official tells you Covid wrecked the country’s finances, you can point them to this report.

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Covid-19: Auditor General Discloses How Government Failed To Take Delivery Of $81m Worth Of Paid-For Vaccines

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that COVID-19 vaccine jabs which were procured to help the country fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic have still not been delivered.

This was made known in the Auditor General’s report which detailed how $80 million worth of vaccines paid for by the government had not been delivered.

Source: YEN.com.gh