I have been following with keen interest reports that Employment Minister Haruna Iddrisu made financial demands on the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) to finance his foreign travels.

According to the report, the Employment Minister requested from YEA GH₵129,089 on 17th March 2015 and GH₵900, 7545.68 on 12th May 2015 for travels to ILO meetings in Geneva, Switzerland.

At first, it seemed to me like a wrongful expenditure however, after considering the facts of the matter careful, I am convinced the vilification of the Minister over the requests is most unfortunate.

In fact a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana also thinks Haruna Iddrisu has not faulted in making the demands from the budget of an agency under the supervisory of the Ministry.

Prof K. Acheampong notes that Haruna Iddrisu’s move is a common practice in government when sector ministers make use of available funds in departments and agencies of the ministry and pay back.

 “There is absolutely nothing wrong for a Ministry to ask its agency to fund approved expenditures when the Ministry itself is faced with financial inadequacies. Most times, the loan is paid back and I am sure the Ministry of Employment and Labour relations have charted modalities to restitute the monies owed the agency”, he says.

It is usual practice within the public service for Ministries to depend on their agencies when they are faced with financial difficulties and can sometimes borrow for subsequent reimbursement subject to releases from the Ministry of Finance.

Even the Section 24 1 (e) of Act 887 establishing the Youth Employment Agency  has stipulated that the Ministry of Employment and Labour relations is entitled to five percent (5%) of the funds allocated for the Agency.

This is to enhance the Ministry’s supervisory and oversight responsibilities. So, where did the Ministry fault in exercising this regulatory framework?”

People make noise about nothing because of the lack of understanding of the concepts of governance and how government works.

If one reads the Section 24 of the Youth Employment Agency Act, 2015 Act (887), which stipulates the Application of funds by the Agency, one will appreciate the Ministry did no wrong in exercising those privileges enshrined in the act.

If my understanding is that the amount borrowed by the Ministry is not only for travelling expenses but also paying for annual ILO and ARLAC subscriptions which were outstanding, then it was judiciously expended. 

The country could have faced global humiliation of losing her titular voting rights at the 104th Session of the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organisation held in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Employment Ministry has clarified that some $230,960.43 borrowed from YEA had 50% of it used for the payment of subscription arrears owed ILO, amounting to One Hundred and Forty Four thousand and Fifty Swiss Francs, Fifty Cents (SFR 144,052.50) and that of the African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) which amounted to $69,706.  According to the Ministry said this amount is pending reimbursement by the Ministry of Finance, which was outstanding and in arrears.

The Ministry also clarified that the rest of the amount was spent to cover travel expenses of 16 members of the Ghanaian delegation comprising staff of the Ministry, Agencies of the Ministry, some members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Employment and other Social partners (Tripartite) per ILO requirements.