Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta a few days ago told Parliament that all outstanding funds for Planting for Food and Jobs for 2021 had been released.
The minister who was responding to a question about the issue of Financial Clearance to MOFA to clear the large debt owed partners and suppliers, revealed that his ministry has already released money to clear outstanding debts.
“Mr. Speaker, at the end of 2021 an amount of GH¢86.31 million was outstanding, under the PFJ programme. This amount has now been released to MOFA for payment. This year, MOFA has requested an amount of GHC 485.90 million for payment under PFJ programme. An amount of GHC 278.57 million has subsequently been released to MOFA,” Ken Ofori-Atta said on the floor of Parliament.
Suppliers of Fertiliser Unhappy
But Fertilizers Suppliers under government's flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme dared the Financial Minister to be clear with his presentation over payment of money to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for some outstanding debts.
They expressed reservations over his presentations especially, the sector Minister's claim that an amount of 278.57 million has been released to the MoFA. these owed partners and suppliers insist for over a year now they have not received payment and some payment are even in arrears since 2020 from the implementing ministry.
Finance Minister Misquoted
Addressing this contentious issue, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto in a one-on-one interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo' said the Finance Minister was misquoted and that the money rather went to the Controller and Accountant General.
"The Minister was misquoted. It is not true that the funds were released to the Ministry of Agriculture. It was released to the Controller and Accountant General to release to MoFA but that's not the money we've received. There was a misquotation; the Minister should have been quoted as saying the amount of money has been released to the Controller and Accountant General because we don't receive money directly from the Ministry of Finance. We get it upon his instruction to the Controller," he pointed out.
The failure of the government to pay fertilizer suppliers has made the majority of these contractors face bankruptcy forcing their banks to chase them for their monies.
Listen to him in the video below
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Dr Akoto Is a trusted person and always stands for the truth Dr Akoto is the man
Dr. Akoto is always the best and he speaks the truth as well. Monies are released by Controller upon the instructions of the finance minister before it gets to the MoFA . So the finance minister was quoting the controller or commissioner and he mistakenly quoted MoFA
THIS MAN IS A JOKER, COME TO AUSTRALIA AGRONOMIST HAVE HIGHLY MECHANIZED FARMS NOT POLITICIAN. THIS GUY CANNOT EVEN MANAGE HIS MINISTRY LET ALONE THE COUNTRY REAL JOKER. SHAME TO HIM ALL THE MONEY FROM OIL INTO THE MINISTRY FOR MECHANIZATION , IRRIGATION OF AGRICULTURE IS NOT DONE WE STILL THROWING MONEY TO PEASANT FARMING WHERE AS CHINA FEED IT 1.4 BILLION POPULATION WITH MECHANISATION, COMMERCIAL FARMING OF AGRICULTURE AND EVEN EXPORT THE REST OF IT TO EARN FOREIGN EXCHANGE WHILE GHANA CANNOT FEED 30 MILLION POPULATION ARE WE SERIOUS AS A NATION WITH ***barred word*** LEADERS SUCH AS AFRIYIE AKOTO WHO CAN TALK TOO MUCH AND DO LITTLE WE ARE DOOM AS A NATION. THIS MAN CAN SPEAK LIKE A PARROT BUT DELIVER VERY LITTLE THAT IS WHAT GHANA NEED. IF WE IMPORT RICE FROM CHINA, VIETNAM, THAILAND ETC WE SHOULD BE ASHAME OF OURSELVES THE SITUATION WE FIND OURSELF. IS SICK TO EVEN BE PROUD OF THIS ACHIEVEMENT VERY SHAMEFUL.
What was reported is a direct quote from the Finance Minister, and the Agric Minister is said that the Finance Minister was misquoted? What is with politicians and lying? Hmmm, what we queue and vote for every four years.