The Minority in Parliament has accused the Ministry of Finance of failing to release funds to District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) for the year 2021.
The situation brought tempers high once more in Parliament on Friday during the presentation of the business statement for this week.
Ibrahim Ahmed, Deputy Minority Chief Whip, appealed to the committee to programme, Ken Ofori-Atta,the Minister of Finance, to answer questions about delays in the release of the DACF which he claimed had been in arrears for the whole of 2021.
However, Abena Osei-Asare, the Deputy Finance Minister, vehemently refuted the allegation but Mr Ahmed insisted the House programmes to bring Mr Ofori-Atta to meet Parliament to know the status of the formula that was used in 2021 and how much was transferred from the Ministry of Finance’s account.
“The 2021 District Assembly Common Fund of GH¢2.2 billion that was approved in this House, there was not a pesewa transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the Office of the Administrator of District Assembly Common Fund and if there was, let the Deputy Minister of Finance give us the figures.
“How much was transferred, we want to know. Mr Speaker, do you remember on November17, when the Minister of Finance was coming to present the Budget Statement and Economic Policy we complained if there is no transfer, we are not going to sit and the GH¢200 million that was paid at Access Bank was first quarter of 2020 and the whole of 2021 which is GH¢2.4 billion, not a pesewa was transferred,” Mr Ahmed asserted.
Refuting the claim, Mrs Osei-Asare however, got incensed and pointed out that monies had been released to the fund to cater for some periods in 2021 contrary to the allegation the Ministry of Finance had paid some of the DACF last year and assured of paying what was due.
“Mr Speaker this is a House of records, there is difference between not paying and now changing the issue to pay and in as much as issues are not the way they used to be in this House we have to say the truth in this House because we have paid 2021 DACF, we paid 2021 first and second quarters but the outstanding is the 2022 first quarter,” she indicated. –starrfm.com.gh
