Accra: Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, has confirmed that he personally funded the purchase of six printers for the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). His clarification followed concerns raised by members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), who questioned whether EOCO may have received grants or donations from unapproved sources.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Ayine explained to PAC on Friday in Parliament House that EOCO does not receive financial support or grants from private individuals, stressing that his gesture was a personal donation and did not amount to a conflict of interest. ‘Mr Chairman, so, for instance, when I assumed office in February, one of the things that they came to brief me on was the fact that they did not have printers,’ he stated.
Dr Ayine elaborated on the situation, noting, ‘We looked everywhere. We couldn’t find the money to buy the printers. So I bought printers out of my own funds for them. So, there were six heavy-duty printers that I bought for them out of my own funds.’ He assured the Committee that there was no conflict in his gesture because his intention was to ensure the entity could operate efficiently, which motivated his decision to make the donation.