General News of Saturday, 18 January 2014

Source: peacefmonline.com

My greatest pain is the inefficiency of Parliament - Sam Pee Yalley

Public Interest Lawyer and an Ambassador-designate, Sam Pee Yalley says Parliament should be blamed for the controversies surrounding the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development (GYEEDA) programme.

“The greatest pain I have is the inefficiency of our parliament…where was GYEEDA budget approved? I have read Appropriation Bill; you cannot take money from the Consolidated Fund without parliamentary approval and so the question is: 'was the GYEEDA money paid out of the Consolidated Fund arrangement?' If so 'why' and if not 'why not?".

He said parliament should be able to call the Minister of Finance to produce a report on how GYEEDA was funded and the amount that has been spent so far instead of playing political games with the issue.

He was of the view that the President, John Dramani Mahama should not be blamed or held responsible for the rot at GYEEDA because he put various people in charge.

“Moreover those service providers are in the country and they can be called upon at any time to be queried…but what is parliament doing about these issues?....we establish an organization without a legislative framework?...this is the kind of mediocrity we are dealing with. These issues border on criminality and so we should take politics out of it…Parliament should wake to their responsibilities…” he said on ‘Kokrokoo’ programme.

Mr. Sam Pee Yalley was reacting to the hullabaloo surrounding GYEEDA and the recent cancellation of contract of service providers under the programme.