The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, Hon Simon Osei has debunked claims that Parliamentarians receive GHC8, 000 each on a quarterly basis from the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
Friday, August 1, 2014 edition of the Herald newspaper published that 275 MPs receive GHC8, 000 from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) every three months.
“The shocking breakdowns are that each MP collects GHC32, 000 annually working up to GHC8, 800,000 each from the drying coffers of the NHIS into the bank accounts and primary pockets of the 275 lawmakers. It is not clear how long this payment to the MPs has been in place. The Herald came across the distribution of Ecobank Ghana Limited designated cheques in Parliament from the Authority on Wednesday to some MPs. Aides of some of the MPs were also seen collecting the cheques on behalf of their bosses who were not around.
NHIA, through one of its Communications Manager, Selorm Adonoo, yesterday confirmed the unreasonable payments to the legislators saying, this has been going on for some time now, adding it is meant for fuel, travelling allowances, hire experts and other things to help them (MPs) monitor NHIA-sponsored projects under the District Health Directorates,” the publication said.
But speaking on Friday’s edition of ‘Kokrokoo’, Simon Osei debunked the story saying MPs do not receive any such amount from the NHIA. Whiles calling on the Editor to do a proper investigation on the issue, he described the publication as one of the numerous media reports to court the anger of the public against MPs.
“These are some of the things they say and people start criticising us…they continue to publish untrue articles about us. The only disbursement that go to MPs on a quarterly basis is District Assembly Common Fund, and that is even not forthcoming as we speak…He should do his investigations well and set the records straight because there is nothing like that…we don’t receive such an amount from anywhere,” he stated.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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