Coronavirus funds prudently spent to protect lives, jobs – Ofori-Atta tells Parliament

THE Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has told Parliament that the government was prudent with COVID-19 resources to help protect lives and safeguard jobs.

Mr Ofori-Atta said every penny mobilized was used judiciously to enhance the country’s ability to contain the pandemic.

He also described the pandemic as the biggest shock to have hit the economy so far, hence the decision by the country to deploy all available resources to contain the effects on lives and businesses.

Answering questions on how funds mobilized to support the COVID-19 fight were expended, the minister said it was untrue that the government was running away from accountability. “Mr. Speaker, I believe that this presentation demonstrates Government’s commitment to accountability and transparency. All programmed, mobilized and utilized funds have been duly reported on. As a Government, we continue to operate an open-door policy and welcome any opportunity to engage in the national interest,” he said.

He explained that an amount of GH¢18.19 billion was mobilised in resources while GH¢12.04 billion was spent. He said the amount spent to contain the spread and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on lives and properties.

Mr Ofori-Atta said the amount was expended between April 2020, when the pandemic struck the country, and May this year.

He also dismissed concerns that there were inconsistencies in the COVID-19 expenditures, stating that whatever was mobilized and spent had been documented and well accounted for.

The minister was answering questions on how much the country mobilized in resources to fight the pandemic and how much was actually spent.

“I wish to dispel the notion that there have been some inconsistencies in government data on COVID-19,” he said, noting that the expenditure captured by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his earlier presentation to the nation was in tandem with records at the ministry.

He thus urged the public to dismiss the rumors on data inconsistencies, as the funds were prudently used to protect lives and mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the economy.