$100 Million Covid-19 Cash still not Ready – John Jinapor refutes Finance Minster’s Claim

John Jinapor says parliament is yet to procedurally approve procurement of the funds

$100 Million Covid-19 Cash still not Ready – John Jinapor refutes Finance Minster’s Claim
John Jinapor, Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament

A Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, John Jinapor has debunked claims by the Finance Minister that the US$100 million allocated to fight the coronavirus disease in Ghana is ready for disbursement.

According to John Jinapor, the said amount, which will be “borrowed” by the government, is yet to be okayed by parliament.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in a state broadcast on March 11, said he had directed the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, to make available US$100 million to enhance Ghana’s Coronavirus preparedness and response plan.

Ken Ofori-Atta in an address to parliament on the impact of covid-19 on Ghana’s economy yesterday, March 30, 2020, said the $100 million was available and was ready to be used for its intended purpose.

 

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“Mr. Speaker, as announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo on March 11, 2020, during his first broadcast on the coronavirus pandemic, Government has earmarked the cedi equivalent of US$100 million for the fight against COVID-19.

"Contrary to views of some sceptics that the money is not available, I wish to assure you that the money has been secured and is available to be disbursed in accordance with our public financial management procedures and rules. Indeed, from day one, Government has not stopped spending in the fight against COVID-19,” he noted.

However, John Jinapor, said that those claims by the Finance Minister were dishonest.

“The claim by the Minister that the US$100 million has been secured and is available is false. A document that I have, joint memorandum to Parliament by Ministers for Finance and Health on a proposed US$35 million loan from International Development Administration of the World Bank to finance the proposed Ghana COVID-19 emergency preparedness and response project is dated 27th March 2020. \

"So they have just brought us a loan agreement and it was considered by the Finance Committee subsequent to which we may grant approval for government to go to the World Bank and borrow US$35 million in order to be able to raise that US$100 million.”

“Another US$65 million is an amount that will be coming from the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID). This is another loan from the International Development Authority (IDA) of the World Bank. So all the US$100 million is being borrowed from IDA and Parliament has not even prepared a report, let alone lay it before the floor to be debated, granted approval, for the Minister to proceed to go to the World Bank to collect the money. I think that honesty has to be a key issue,” he argued.