Common Fund Delays: Parliament to quiz Naa Torshie and Ken Ofori Atta

Ghana’s parliament has invited the Common Fund Administrator, Irene Naa Torshie Addo, and the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to appear before the House on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, to explain the delay in the disbursement of the District Assemblies Common Funds(DACF).

Hon. Sam Nartey George, Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, triggered the invite on the two officers during the discussions of the Business Statement for the week.

According to him, the Common Fund has refused or failed to pay MPs of their shares for three-quarters of the year.

He demanded that the Common Fund Administrator be summoned together with the Finance Minister to respond to the questions tabled by the Minority in relation to government’s failure to release cash to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The minority in Parliament has threatened to block the approval of government’s 2020 budget over the delayed disbursement of the Fund.

The MPs have alleged that the government has since April this year refused to release the financial allocation to the district assemblies despite parliamentary approval.

They argued that the government’s refusal to disburse the funds is stifling development at the local level.

Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, however, revealed that second-quarter arrears of the District Assemblies’ Common Fund (DACF) have just been paid in response to minority agitations over the matter.

“We are aware that the DACF is in arrears of the second quarter and that payment has been effected. There have been areas but as we speak today, payments have been affected.”

“For the third quarter, if it goes beyond December, then we can talk about arrears. Payment should be done within this period that is anytime from now till December,” he said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, will present the 2020 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, announced this Friday while presenting parliamentary activities scheduled for next week.

Source: Felix Nyaaba || therepublicnewsonline.com