Fatimatu Abubakar, Minister for Information and spokesperson for the outgoing Akufo-Addo administration on the 2024 Transition Team, has defended the government’s recent recruitments and payments against accusations of impropriety from the incoming Mahama-led administration.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, spokesperson for the Mahama Transition Team, warned that any unauthorised appointments, promotions, or financial transactions—some allegedly backdated—would be reversed upon assuming office.
However, speaking on Eyewitness News, Abubakar dismissed these claims, stating that the government’s actions are legal and aligned with its constitutional mandate.
She emphasised that the Akufo-Addo administration remains fully empowered until the formal handover and urged the incoming government to avoid politicising standard administrative procedures.
“The question is whether the government is doing anything illegal. If so, it must be prosecuted, whether now or during the past eight years. But if not, hiding behind the transition process to undermine the president’s constitutional authority is unwarranted,” Abubakar stated.
She further highlighted that the expenditures and activities under scrutiny are part of the 2024 budget, which was reviewed and passed by Parliament, including members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Abubakar expressed surprise at the NDC’s criticism, pointing out their active role in the budget’s approval process. “The 2024 budget was passed in a hung parliament where both sides had full opportunity for scrutiny. These activities stem from that budget, and ministries are simply executing programs approved through this process.”
She also reminded the public that Parliament had endorsed these expenditures during the mid-year budget review and that the NDC had played a significant role in this process.
“If these expenditures were already captured and passed by Parliament, why is there suddenly an issue? The ministries are fulfilling their mandate under the president’s constitutional authority, which remains valid until the transition is complete,” she argued.
The minister’s remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of the Akufo-Addo administration’s actions during the transition period. The NDC’s transition team has raised concerns about potential irregularities, including claims of backdated payments and appointments, which they view as an attempt to saddle the incoming government with liabilities.
Abubakar reiterated that the government is committed to transparency and urged critics to present evidence of wrongdoing rather than resorting to political posturing.
“Let us focus on what is legal and constitutional. Anything else is mere politicking,” she concluded.
The transition process is expected to intensify as the formal handover date approaches, with both teams working to ensure a smooth transfer of power.