Reject $28million car loan for 275 MPs – Yaw Boamah to MPs

The approved $28million loan for the 275 members of Parliament has become controversial and unpopular among Ghanaians. The reaction since the announcement by the Finance Minister, Hon. Ofori Atta has been intense. The public backlash given the hardship Ghanaians are going through shows that the decision has angered

the masses.

In a related development, some lawmakers have described the public outrage against the loan for lawmakers as a misplaced criticism. One of such notable personalities is the Vice-ChairmaPatrick Yawn of Finance Committee of Parliament w Boamah.

In his view, the criticism by Ghanaians over the $28million facility to help members of the 8th Parliament procure vehicles was misplaced. According to the Okaikoi Central MP, the Legislature is the only arm of government where individuals purchase and fuel their own vehicles. However, he said he wished his colleagues would reject the offer.

The government on Tuesday laid before parliament a $28 million interest-free facility with the National Investment Bank for lawmakers to purchase vehicles.

The MPs are supposed to make repayments over a four-year period.

Another loan totaling $3.5 million is to be facilitated for the purchase of cars for members of the council of state.

The development as always has generated public outcry.

Speaking to the media Mr. Yaw Boamah shared his take on the approved $28million loan for the 275 members. He asked his colleagues to reject the deal so the state is compelled to purchase official vehicles for MPs just as it does for ministers and other members of the executive and judiciary.

He told parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan “if I have the power I’ll ask my colleagues to reject the facility. The simple reason that all the other arms of government, vehicles are procured for them without having to go through this process where the media is always on the back of MPs for contracting a loan.”

“I don’t see the reason why we should be the subject of this public bashing. Because it’s a loan agreement that the finance ministry contracted with the Investment Bank of Ghana for MP’s and members of the council of state.”

He stressed: “like you rightly said, it’s done after every four years but I’ve never heard of anybody talking about why we procure loans for members of the Council of State. Because MPs are easy targets, it’s a necessary evil.”

“But nobody has asked of why the state from the executive and the judiciary are given vehicles without having to procure a loan. That’s why I’m saying that if I have my way I’ll ask MPs to reject the loan and ask the government to procure vehicles for us to use in the performance of our duty. After four years we leave the vehicle for them.”

He added, “before I started taking my salary in the eighth parliament, I was given a notice that from February a certain amount of money will be deducted from my salary in anticipation of this loan which is yet to be approved in July.”

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“So, from February this year, I started paying even though I hadn’t s seen the loan. That one nobody saw anything wrong with it.”

The publics’ take on the approved $28million loan for the 275 members is clear.

SOURCE: Ghana24.org 

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