By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Government of Ghana is said to have spent a total of Gh¢12,04 billion to fight coronavirus and other matters related to Covid-19 expenditure for the period of 2020/2021 financial year.
In a statement to Parliament on the Covid-19 expenditure 2020/2021 by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta on the status update on covid-19 expenditure (2020 and 2021) said, government had received a total of ¢19.3 billion as Covid-19 support and had spent ¢12.04 billion on all Covid-19-related expenditures.
He said, “In 2020, a total amount of GH¢11,162 billion was programmed for COVID-19 related expenditure. Out of this amount, a total of Gh¢8,122 billion was utilised.”
“A total amount of GH¢4,601 billion was programmed in the 2021 budget for COVID-19 related expenses. At the end of December 2021, total utilization was GH¢3,914.40 billion representing 85% utilization. Gh¢10 billion from the Bank of Ghana, US$69.3 million from African Development Bank and US$99.7 million from the European Union (EU).”
According to him, the amount was utilised to provide support to households; supply Equipment and provide relief to health workers (Health Response); Health Infrastructure; Security Operations, Evacuations, Quarantine and Coordination; Economic Relief; Stabilization and Revitalization; and Covid-19 Complementary Releases.
Meanwhile, Speaker Alban Bagbin has, however, directed the Finance Committee in Parliament to be supported by Health Committee to further probe the specific issues raised in the statement related to the Covid-19 funds and other related matters and submit the report to the house by the first week of October when the House resumes for the next meeting.
