Ghana’s Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta
The Ministry of Food and Agricultural has denied receiving money from the Finance Ministry to settle debts owed to Fertilizer Suppliers under Government flagship Program, Planting for Food and Job.
A close source from the ministry told this portal 99that no money has been received from the Finance Ministry and they are looking forward to receiving such amount since the pressure from the contractors is too much.
The failure of the government to pay fertilizer suppliers has made majority of these contractors to face bankruptcy forcing their banks to chase them for their monies.
FINANCE MINISTER’S CLAIMS:
The Minister on the floor of parliament when asked about the issue of Financial Clearance to MOFA to clear the large debt owed partners and suppliers revealed that his ministry has released money to clear outstanding debts
“Mr. Speaker at the end of 2021 an amount of GHC 86.31 million was outstanding, under PFJ Programme. This amount has now been released to MOFA for payment. This year, MOFA has requested for 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” Hon Ken Ofori –Atta has added.
REVELATIONS:
According to one of these contractors, he said the Minister for Finance is trying every means to cover the debts by creating pressure between the implementing Ministry and that of the contractors.
“We are very sure MOFA would have attended to us if the Finance Ministry had paid the money like the sector Minister claimed” he added.
Suppliers said, their respective Banks have been chasing them after the Minister’s presentation on the floor of Parliament because these banks think; they (Suppliers) have diverted the payment to different accounts.
INVESTIGATIONS:
In an earlier report last month, a number of Fertilizer suppliers confirmed that government still owed them with monies after supplying farmers under PFJ with fertilizers.
Peasant framers had also in a separate story expressed worry over how the scarcity of fertilizers has been affecting their farming businesses since suppliers are reluctant to supply them with fertilizers.
Planting for Food and Jobs is a flagship agricultural Campaign of the Government, with five (5) implementation modules. The first module PFJ (Crops) aims to promote food security and immediate availability of selected food crops on the market and also provide jobs.
