Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, has rejected calls for the dismissal of Attorney General Dominic Ayine. These demands from the Minority bloc concern the disbursement of GHS 350 million for flood victims. Mr. Ofosu described the Minority's request as “misplaced, baseless, and totally unwarranted.”
The controversy emerged after the Minority alleged unlawful disbursement of the GHS 350 million. This amount was intended to support victims of recent devastating floods. Mr. Ofosu stated that no law was breached in the release of these critical funds. He affirmed that the government acted within legal frameworks.
This issue highlights ongoing tensions between the government and the parliamentary Minority over public expenditure. Ghana's public finance management is under constant scrutiny, especially regarding the use of contingency funds. Previous debates have centered on transparency and accountability in government spending, reflecting a broader concern for fiscal discipline. Data shows that such disputes often arise during emergency financial allocations, stressing the need for clear communication.
“I'm surprised that the Minority finds it necessary to use precious time to make calls that are completely misplaced, baseless, and totally unwarranted,” Mr. Ofosu said on JoyFM's Top Story. He insisted that “no wrongdoing has been occasioned whatsoever.” He explained that the Finance Minister initially sought Parliament's Finance Committee's approval for the funds. The committee approved withdrawing GHS 350 million from the Contingency Fund for flood response.
Further details from Mr. Ofosu revealed that GHS 150 million was for immediate relief efforts. The remaining GHS 200 million was for post-flood mitigation measures. The Finance Committee's approval was sufficient for the Contingency Fund. Full parliamentary approval is not required for such withdrawals, according to existing regulations. However, a court-issued garnishee order blocked access to the Contingency Fund. This order was linked to a long-running land dispute.
Mr. Ofosu clarified that the Attorney General merely provided a legal opinion regarding this situation. This action was entirely within his constitutional mandate. To bypass the garnishee order, the Finance Minister accessed funds from the Contingency Vote. This vote is contained within the 2026 Appropriation Act. The 2026 Budget, specifically Appendix 4D on page 203, appropriated GHS 3.6 billion under this Contingency Vote. The Finance Minister can legally utilise these funds without fresh parliamentary approval. Parliament has already empowered the Minister to use this money as deemed necessary, Mr. Ofosu stated.
The Finance Minister will account for these expenditures at the end of the financial year. This aligns with established public financial management procedures. Once the garnishee order is lifted, the government can replenish the Contingency Vote. This would involve transferring funds from the Contingency Fund. Even if the court order remains, the Finance Minister still has legal authority over the Contingency Vote. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with it,” Mr. Ofosu asserted. Decision-makers will continue to monitor the legal battle over the Contingency Fund. Market analysts will watch how the government manages public spending amidst such legal challenges. This will affect future financial allocations for emergencies.