Minority members on Parliament’s Finance Committee have challenged the Finance Minister’s request for GH₵500 million from the Contingency Fund to combat the dry spell ravaging eight regions.
With over 900,000 farmers’ livelihoods and national food security at stake, the Agriculture Ministry has already implemented emergency measures, including a grain export ban.
However, the Minority is questioning the timing and rationale behind the fund request as well as the decision to slash the budgets of the Agriculture and Road Ministries to generate over GH₵8 billion to address the problem.
According to the Deputy Ranking Member and MP for Bia East, Richard Acheampong, in the 2023 budget, the Agriculture Ministry had allocated an amount which would help tackle these issues, including the dry spell.
“But the question is just go to the 2023 budget, the Ministry told us that they are importing drought resilient seeds to deal with this very issue that we are talking of so what happened to those seeds that they procured?” he quizzed.
He said there was, however, no clarity on the issue.
Also, the Bia East MP said the people have suffered losses caused by the spillage of the Bagre dam and nothing appears to be done to save the situation.
The Agric Minister, Bryan Acheampong suggested that a list must be presented to Parliament to determine whether the people named qualify for that support.