Nana Addo likely to miss promise of paying contractors in 100 days –Kwesi Pratt

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Junior says the New Patriotic Party(NPP) government may fail to fulfil the promise of paying debts owed Ghanaian contractors within first 100 days in office.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, during the 2016 electioneering campaign on Monday,October 31, 2016, met members of the Ghana Association of Road Contractors where he pledge to settle all debts owed them within the first 100 days if the NPP won the elections.

However, Finance Minister-designate, Ken Ofori Atta, answering questions when he appeard before the parliamentary Appointment Committee denied the President’s pledge saying “I don’t know where we (NPP) promised to pay all contractors in 100 days.”

Speaking on RADIO GOLD current affairs programme Alhaji and Alhaji, Kwesi Pratt indicated the answer given by the Finance Minister-designate suggests that the NPP government does not intend to keep the promise the party had earlier made.

He added that the u-turn made by President Nana Akufo-Addo’s government indicates that the NPP does not intend to capture the promise to pay contractors in its first budget to be submitted to parliament.

Meanwhile, Mr. Pratt is also advocating for a review of the parliamentary vetting procedure to allow Members on the committee to ask follow up questions when it becomes necessary.

He said the situation where Members of the vetting committee were not allowed to further probe answers provided by appointees was worrying.

Ministers to serve under president Nana Akufo-Addo’s government are currently being vetted by Members of the Appointment Committee however; MP’s on the vetting committee can only ask three questions per nominee.