Minister rubbishes financial allegation
Accra, June 4, Ghanadot/GNA -
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, Minister of Youth and
Sports has dispelled reports that he has misapplied funds at
his outfit, describing the allegation as disgraceful.
In a five-page response to the Presidential query sighted by
the GNA Sports, Alhaji Muntaka said certain personalities
within the Ministry are hell-bent on sabotaging his efforts
at executing the President’s agenda.
The Minister said the allegations against him are creations
of the disgruntled Principal Accountant of the Ministry who
was transferred.
Touching on the allegations, the Minister who is also the
Member of Parliament for Asawase in the Kumasi Metropolis
said it was untrue that Ms Edith Zineuali who travelled as
part of the national delegation to the finals of the CHAN
tournament in Cote d’Ivoire was his girlfriend.
“She is the secretary of the Majority Leader in Parliament
and she expressed interest in witnessing the final match of
the 1st CHAN tournament in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. I was
then advised by the Chief Director that the Ministry could
include her in the funding of those going to watch the
match.
“I imagined that since we sometimes even fund Supporters
Unions to such events, it is a permissible practice at the
Ministry to facilitate her attendance hence I assumed that
the Chief Director was perhaps proffering good advice.
From available records within the Ministry in respect of
such requests I did not find it unusual and irregular and
therefore endorsed her inclusion on the trip.”
Alhaji Muntaka also denied allegations that he took 10,000
dollars which should have been paid as reimbursement for
landing charges, and humbly invited the President to verify
from officials at the Ministry if any such payment was
approved and made out to him.
He added that the allegation that he took per diem of GHC
2000 instead of the maximum allowable figure of GHC 1200 was
ample evidence of the ploy to discredit him. “I was never
told that the GHC 1,200 was my maximum allowable per diem on
that occasion.
Secondly, the voucher should have been prepared by the
Accountant for the said GHC 1,200 since he was aware that
that is the maximum allowable per diem on that occasion”.
“Since it was their design to scandalise me they
deliberately prepared a voucher which they knew exceeded my
maximum allowable per diem on that occasion and then
approved it so that when I, in ignorance of the maximum
allowable and assuming that my staff acting professionally
and properly in the determination of my per diem, took the
money they would be able to use it as part of their
ammunitions against me.”
Alhaji Muntaka said it was untrue that he ignored laid down
procedure in requesting for payments on behalf of the
National Sports Council (NSC) from the Ministry of Finance.
“I was advised by the Chief Director with a supporting
letter from the Chief of Staff that it was permissible to
use that procedure. Indeed, the Chief Director prepared the
letter which I signed.”
On the allegation that he single-handedly arranged the
accommodation and feeding of the Black Stars team in Kenya
and Sudan, Alhaji Muntaka said the accusation had been made
because he had opened up the arrangement of travel plans for
the Black Stars to other travel agents through competitive
bidding making huge savings as a result.
With respect to allegations that he requested for the refund
of GHC 674.02 in respect of baby food, mouthwash and other
household items, he admitted that some refund was made to
him based on ‘misleading’ advice from the Principal
Accountant.
He said when a senior accountant advised against it and “I
requested a return of the receipt so I refund the initial
moneys to the Principal Accountant he declined, alleging
that it was within the remit of what I could claim as
household expenditure. Since then I have not submitted any
claim.”
On allegations that he requested a refund of GHC 15,200 with
a receipt in the name of Zinabu Mubarak in respect of food
and other food items, the Minister said it never happened
and challenged his accusers to prove otherwise.
Reacting to the allegations that he had demanded savings
made from the CHAN tournament and the Black Stars match
against the Benin match, the Minister said it was untrue. He
said he rather had a problem with the Principal Accountant
for refusing to declare actuals after matches to enable
savings to be calculated.
“The Chief of Staff will confirm that I was the one who made
actuals from the said matches mentioned in paragraph 8 known
to him. The Principal Accountant has refused to declare the
actuals on all the other matches.”
The Minister said it was untrue that Alhaji Abdulai Yakubu,
a Director of the Ministry authorised payments without due
procedure.
“Alhaji Yakubu was at that material time the acting Chief
Director, since the substantive Chief Director was not at
post. In any case it is within the remit of the Director of
Finance and Administration (F&A) to approve any expenditure
of less than GHC600.”
The Minister has come under the microscope for supposedly
misappropriating funds, an allegation that President John
Evans Attah-Mills has asked him to substantiate.
GNA
