The Member of Parliament for the Mpraeso Constituency, Davis Ansah Opoku, has raised concerns over the funding arrangements for the government’s One Million Coders Programme, warning that the approach could potentially breach provisions of the Public Financial Management Act.
Contributing to the debate on the State of the Nation Address in Parliament, the Mpraeso MP questioned how the flagship digital initiative is being financed and whether Parliament has been properly informed of its funding sources.
According to him, while the President highlighted the One Million Coders Programme as a key pillar of Ghana’s digital transformation agenda, there remains little clarity on the financial framework supporting its implementation.
Mr Opoku indicated that the available information suggests that the National Communications Authority may have been directed to finance the procurement of laptops for the programme.
He noted that such an arrangement raises serious concerns under the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), which requires that public funds be committed and spent strictly within an approved budget authorised by Parliament.
“Section 25 of the Public Financial Management Act makes it clear that public funds must be spent in accordance with an approved budget authorised by Parliament. If a public institution is directed to finance a government programme outside its approved budget, Parliament must be duly informed,” he stated.
The Mpraeso MP questioned whether the Minister for Finance had formally notified Parliament about any directive requiring the National Communications Authority to fund aspects of the programme.
“Parliament cannot effectively exercise its oversight responsibility if major government programmes are financed through arrangements that are not transparently presented to this House,” he added.
Mr Opoku also raised concerns about value for money in the procurement of equipment for the programme.
According to him, the information available indicates that laptops procured under the initiative cost approximately 14,000 Ghana cedis each.
He called on the government to provide clarity on the procurement process and the total cost of the equipment acquired.
“How many laptops have been procured for this programme? What procurement method was used? Was competitive tendering applied, and what specifications justify the cost of fourteen thousand cedis per laptop?” he asked.
Mr Opoku stressed that while the objective of equipping young Ghanaians with digital skills is commendable, the programme must be implemented with transparency, accountability and strict adherence to Ghana’s public financial management laws.
He urged the government to provide Parliament with full details on the financing arrangements and procurement processes underpinning the One Million Coders Programme, stating that Ghana’s digital transformation must be built on sound financial governance and responsible use of public funds.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com