The Minority in Parliament is demanding answers from government on who constitutes the Covid-19 frontline healthcare workers benefitting from the 50% extra allowance.

This comes amid allegations that the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) officers have been included in the list.

Parliament on Friday approves tax waivers to the tune of ¢174 million for health care personnel who are at the forefront of the fight against the novel coronavirus.

The approval is in line with President Akufo-Addo’s promise to give health workers additional allowances of 50% as tax-free on their basic salary per month.

A report of the Finance Committee indicated that ¢21.6 million has been spent on additional allowances for the health care personnel for April, May, June 2020.

Kunbungu MP Ras Mubarak claims the list of frontline healthcare workers is unfair.

“There is no list of who constitutes those who will be benefiting from this. Supporting people who are working in critical areas is very important but it should not be shrouded under the cloth of secrecy.

We know that there are many workers in the health sector who have also agitated to be included in the list pf those who will be benefiting from these incentives who are not included. So how do you ignore some workers in the area of health and then include the Bureau of National Investigations.

Chairman of Parliament's Finance Committee, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah says there has been a difficulty defining who constitutes frontline health personnel but that has been addressed now.

He, however, explained that "By collaborating with relevant agencies, a working definition of frontline health workers has ben accepted.

"These personnel were said to include those working in the most critical areas risky areas in the fight against the pandemic.

He further disclosed that the number of workers who benefited from the month of April, May and June 2020 were 6,091, 7,418 and 7,196 respectively.

This brings the corresponding expenditure to on the additional allowance to ¢6.5 million for April, ¢7.5 in May and ¢7.6 million for the month of June.