Ghana’s GH¢350m Flood Fund Sparks Political Storm as Minority Demands Probe, Government Defends Disbursement
A major political dispute has erupted in Ghana over the GH¢350 million disbursed for flood relief, with the Minority demanding the Attorney General's dismissal for alleged unlawful actions. While the government asserts the funds were legally accessed from the Contingency Vote after the Contingency Fund was frozen, the opposition insists on a full parliamentary probe and audit to clarify the source and process of the controversial disbursement.
The disbursement of GH¢350 million earmarked for flood relief and mitigation has triggered a fierce political dispute in Ghana, with the Minority in Parliament demanding the dismissal of Attorney General Dominic Ayineover alleged constitutional breaches.
The Minority argues that Parliament approved the funds to be withdrawn from the Contingency Fund, which was reportedly under a court-issued garnishee order at the time, raising questions about how the money was accessed.
They insist that if the funds came from another source, fresh parliamentary approval was required, accusing the government of violating the Constitution and the Public Financial Management Act. The caucus has also called for a special audit and the production of all documents relating to the disbursement.
The government has rejected the allegations, describing them as "baseless and unwarranted." Minister of State for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu explained that although Parliament's Finance Committee approved the withdrawal from the Contingency Fund, a court order later blocked access to the account.
According to him, the Finance Minister lawfully accessed the money from the Contingency Vote already provided for under the 2026 Appropriation Act, which does not require fresh parliamentary approval. He maintained that the Attorney General merely offered legal advice within his constitutional mandate and that no laws were breached.
Despite the government's explanation, the Minority has remained unconvinced, demanding that the Finance Minister, Attorney General, and Bank of Ghana Governor appear before Parliament to explain the exact source and authorization for the funds. The caucus is also seeking all correspondence relating to the transaction, details of the court order, and an independent audit tracing the movement of the money from source to beneficiaries.
Warning that the matter goes beyond politics, Minority lawmakers insist they will pursue every parliamentary and legal avenue to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of the flood relief funds.