Minority accuses Finance Minister of breaking the law over unpaid statutory funds

The Minority in Parliament has criticised the Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, accusing him of flouting Ghana’s financial laws by failing to release statutory funds nearly six months into the new administration.

The Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, accused the Finance Minister of deliberately starving critical government institutions of resources, despite clear legal obligations and the availability of funds.

According to him, not a single cedi has been disbursed to the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) or the National Health Insurance Fund since the year began, a move he described as a clear violation of Act 936 of the Local Governance Act.

“The government stands in breach of Act 936 of the Local Governance Act, and the reasons are not far-fetched. The whole of this year, not even a penny has been paid in terms of common funds (DACF),” Mr Annoh-Dompreh said.

He revealed that out of the GHS 7.7 billion allocated in the 2025 budget for the Common Fund, none has been disbursed nearly halfway into the year.

“If you look at the budget, you will find an explicit provision that was made. It is surprising that for almost six months, out of the allocation of 7.7 billion, not even a penny has gone to the Assembly,” he said.

“It is in breach of Act 936 of the Local Governance Act, and there has been a court ruling to that effect that these payments should be done quarterly.”

While acknowledging reports that the Minister intends to release the funds next month, the Minority is demanding immediate disbursement, warning that the failure to do so is crippling local governance and healthare delivery in the country.

“We are told that Dr Ato Forson has decided that he’s going to pay the Common Fund next month,” he said, questioning the delay.

“The begging question is: has the government collected the taxes due? Yes, the taxes have been collected.”

Beyond the DACF, the Minority also raised concerns about the non-payment of the National Health Insurance Fund, which they stated threatens the sustainability of the health insurance scheme.

“If you put aside the DACF, there is also a fund called the Health Fund. The Health Fund is set up to sort our health needs – the NHIA Fund, to be very specific. Some 9.92 billion was allocated. My check tells me no amount has been paid,” Mr Annoh-Dompreh disclosed.

He warned that the cumulative effect of the delayed payments could collapse essential services and derail national development efforts.

“For Common Fund, the Assemblies are denied the oxygen they need to prosecute their agenda. If the Common Fund is not released, the Assemblies are denied the oxygen to do local governance and to go ahead and prosecute what they need to do,” he said.

“Health Insurance is not being paid, GETFund is not being paid, and everybody is quiet. I want to ask questions – where are the taxes that the administration has collected? Why are they not making payments?”

The Minority added that it will use every parliamentary tool at its disposal to compel the government to comply with the law and release the statutory funds without further delay.

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