Finance Minister seeks GH₵500m from Contingency Fund to tackle drought

Accra, Ghana - In a bid to mitigate the escalating food insecurity crisis in Northern Ghana, Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has submitted a formal request to Parliament's Finance Committee for the disbursement of GH₵500 million from the Contingency Fund.

This urgent appeal comes on the heels of the government's announcement of a GH₵8 billion relief package aimed at supporting farmers reeling from the devastating effects of the drought.

In a letter to the Finance Committee, Dr. Amin Adam explained that the unforeseen nature of the drought's impact necessitates supplementary funding, as the government cannot solely rely on reallocation of existing budget lines in the 2024 Budget to address the crisis.

"_Given that we are already eight months into the 2024 Budget implementation, and considering the unexpected expenditure required to address this 'force majeure' situation, additional funding is essential to support the proposed interventions," Dr. Amin Adam stated.

Find the letter from the Ministry of Finance below.

The request seeks to bridge the funding gap to ensure the effective implementation of the relief package and provide vital support to affected farmers and communities.

Source: Lead News Online