Why Is Govt Silence On $200,000 ECOWAS Support For Akosombo Flood Victims?- Ablakwa Asks

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has questioned the government’s silence on a $200,000 support it requested from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for flood victims from the Akosombo and Kpong dams spillage.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Ablakwa questioned why the government did not capture it in the 2024 Budget Statement.

According to the MP, whose constituency was massively affected by the flood, the government failed to announce that it has applied to  ECOWAS for financial support to assist the victims of the flood.

Mr Ablakwa indicated that documents he has seen indicates that the ECOWAS Commission has approved US$200,000.00 following Ghana’s application.

He, has therefore called for full disclosure and total accountability on all government requests for funding submitted to international organisations to support the flood victims.

Why has the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government concealed from Parliament and the Ghanaian people that they had additionally applied to ECOWAS for financial support for the Akosombo dam spillage flood victims?

Intercepted documents from the ECOWAS Commission show that ECOWAS has approved US$200,000.00 (GHS2.4million) following Ghana’s application.

When Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta presented the 2024 Budget on November 15, 2023 — he only disclosed government’s applications to the World Bank and the Global Shield Against Climate Risk Fund. (Reference: paragraphs 29 and 30 at page 5 of 2024 Budget).

This is despite having applied to the ECOWAS Commission some two weeks prior to the budget presentation in Parliament as the intercepted documents from ECOWAS reveal.

The NDC Caucus in Parliament shall be promptly demanding full disclosure and total accountability on all government requests for funding submitted to international organizations and how these funds are being utilized.

For God and Country.

Ghana first