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Release funds for EC to perform mandate — Parliament urges Finance Ministry
The leadership of Parliament has impressed on the Finance Ministry to release the balance of the Electoral Commission’s budgetary allocation for it to be able to effectively undertake its duties this year.
The Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who made the call at a media briefing in Parliament yesterday said, of the GH₵701 million allocated to the Commission for 2020, only GH₵400 million has been released; six months to the December 7, 2020 polls.
“Even though on paper, about GH₵701 million had been released to the Commission for the performance of their functions, only GH₵400 million has actually been received by the Commission,” he said.
The House, he told journalists, has since mounted pressure on the Finance Ministry to release the remaining funds to the Commission for it to be able to perform their constitutional mandate effectively.
“The Finance Ministry must release the outstanding GH₵300 million, if we want the EC to commit and indeed be able to pursue this enterprise and have a very credible elections.
“That amount should be released to the Commission as soon as possible.
“We all have to engage the Finance Ministry and put pressure on them to do what is needful.
“In this COVID-19 environment, time is certainly not on our side and there cannot be any slips,” he said.
The Finance Committee, he said, would continue to engage the Finance Ministry to ensure that the money was released to the EC.
Aside their budgetary allocation for the 2020 fiscal year, the Suame MP said an outstanding GH₵329 million which wasn’t released to the Commission as part of its 2019 budget must also be released.
Source: Ghanaian Times
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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