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Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta says the government has remitted about half of outstanding contract arrears by the previous Mahama government.

According to the Finance Minister, Ex-President John Dramani Mahama left a debt of GHC 11 billion in awarding contracts under his regime but the Akufo-Addo administration has offset the debt by paying GHC 5 billion of the unpaid bills.

This was disclosed in his mid-year budget review and supplementary estimates for the 2020 financial year to Parliament on Thursday, July 23, 2020.

''Mr. Speaker, the previous government had the penchant of awarding contracts by
heart even when they had no idea as to how to pay for them. So to protect the public purse,
my Ministry initiated and requested the Auditor-General to audit and validate the over GH¢11
billion outstanding claims which had been approved and left by the previous government to
be paid. The Auditor-General validated GH¢6 billion of the GH¢11 billion claims. We await
the subsequent surcharging of all those complicit in the submission of the disallowed claims
from the Auditor General’s Department.

“Mr. Speaker, I am happy to inform this Honourable House that we have paid almost
GH¢5 billion of the unpaid bills which we inherited and are managing the public purse in a
much more responsible manner now,” he said.

He further pledged the government's commitment to a prudent financial management of the economy.

''Mr. Speaker, this Government under President Akufo-Addo, with these actions, has
amply demonstrated its commitment to prudent financial management, investing broadly and
inclusively in the nation’s development, ensuring value for money and being held accountable
for our actions.''