Dr. Clement Apaak, a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, has instructed Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited Company (BOST) officials to get ready with explanations for the rationale behind the purchase of 18 iPhone 13 Pro Max phones for select employees.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South conveyed anticipation that the purchases would be included in the Auditor-General’s report in 2022.
The total sum spent on 18 iPhone 13 Pro Max phones for some company employees first shocked everyone.
Management, however, clarified that the figure reported contained an erroneous typeface in the dot’s placement.
In a statement sent by the Corporate Communications and External Affairs Department on Saturday, September 30, management acknowledged that the phones were really purchased for GH285,412.16 rather than the GH28,541,261.00 stated in its report.
It further stated that the decision, which was unquestioned, had been reviewed by the Auditor-General.
However, Dr. Apaak stated management will undoubtedly answer for its decision in a Monday interview with Ghana Tonight on TV3, which was monitored by 1Family Radio.
“If that turns out to be true, even though we are yet to look at 2022 audit reports, when BOST appears before the Public Accounts Committee, answers would have to be provided to justify why public resources should be expended to buy iPhones for a certain group of staff at BOST,” he noted.
“There are instances where the Committee may direct that because such a purchase was not in the public interest or the interest of the institution or the purchase was not something that was planned and executed to enhance the work of the institution, then those who superintended over that could be asked to refund the total cost of the iPhones and perhaps even pay an interest on it because we now know the time value of money,’’ Mr. Apaak added.
Source: 1Familyradio