The Minority in Parliament last night, Wednesday, 21 December 2022 successfully cut government’s 2023 budget allocation of GHS1.4billion to the Contingency Vote to GHS533million.
This was disclosed by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“We have also successfully cut the extravagant allocation to the notorious Contingency Vote from GHS1.4billion to GHS533million,” he posted on Facebook.
The Contingency Vote as explained by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, when he appeared before an adhoc Committee of Parliament over a vote of censure is a Vote under the “Other Government Obligations” in the budget which is approved by the Finance Committee and passed as part of the annual Appropriation Acts passed by Parliament.
According to him, in preparing the budget, provision is made for indicative expenditures that have not been fully costed at the time of the budget presentation and provisions are made in the Contingency Vote to cater for such expenditures.
For example, he said there was no specific allocation in the 2014 budget for Ghana’s participation in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. However, the Cabinet of President John Mahama, in March 2014, approved some $9.622 million for that tournament, including that amount which was flown to Brazil in a private jet for the players.
He added that a more current example is Ghana’s participation in Qatar as the Black Stars qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, way after the 2022 budget, presented on November 16, 2021, was approved by Parliament.
Mr Ofori-Atta noted that no specific amount was budgeted for it but through the Contingency Vote, government provided funds legitimately for the team to participate in the competition.
