The Minority in Parliament has threatened to boycott all business of the Finance Ministry in Parliament until all arrears are disbursed to the District Assemblies Common Fund.
The Caucus insisted the Finance Minister must take immediate steps to make the required releases, not just paper releases but actual disbursements of the outstanding arrears.
The Minority expressed dissatisfaction the Ministry has so far released GH¢300 million to the Common Fund this year when it should have released far more than that amount.
Minority Chief whip, Kwame Governs Agbodza, who issued the threat at a press conference on Tuesday in Parliament disclosed that since 2018, the government failed to disburse an amount of over GH¢6.2 billion to the Common Fund in accordance with Article 252(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
According to him, the payment is not an option that the Ministry of Finance could chose to do or not because the money has been collected through the taxation system.
“It is an illegality for the Minister of Finance not to pay those monies to the assemblies,” he stated.
He stated that staff of many assemblies go to work, do nothing and close, which is a reason why assemblies are unable provide the services that are required of them.
“This is not good for the country and we are calling on the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to sit up. It is not as if the money is missing.”
“You collected the monies through taxation so you have absolutely no right to breach Article 252(2) of the Constitution. If it were in another country, the Minister will probably have be facing prosecution for this blatant breach.”
The Minority Whip expressed hope the majority group will support this call and compel the Finance Minister to make the releases to the Common Fund so the money can go to the districts and benefit Ghanaians.
Deputy Ranking member of the Local Government and Rural Development Committee Benjamin Komla Kpodo disclosed the government has, since 2018, consistently failed to release actual amounts due the Common Fund Secretariat for further disbursements to the assemblies.
Mr. Benjamin Kpodo indicated GH¢3.4 billion was appropriated in January 2022 to December 2022 but the Ministry released GH¢2.9 billion on paper and disbursed only GH¢300 million cash to the Fund for the entire year.
“How do you expect them to function? The assemblies are unable to continue with projects because monies have not been released to them.”
The Ranking member, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye who also expressed his displeasure at the development stated Speaker of the House directed the Finance Minister to appear before the Joint Committee of Finance and Local Government to make sure the issues are resolved.
“Up to today, the Minister has not; and the local government committee has written twice inviting the Minister of Finance to meet us so we can furnish the House with intentions of the Minister to make sure they adhere to the principles enshrined in Article 252.”
He stated all projects going on in the various districts were initiated by MPs and not the assemblies because they under resourced.
Ghanaians, he said, must be concerned about the disrespect of the Minister for the local governance system of the country and the failure of government to do what is right by releasing funds to the assemblies.