The Minority in Parliament is raising alarm over what it considers deliberate delays by the Ministry of Finance in disbursing funds meant to support parliamentary operations, warning that the inaction is severely hampering the effectiveness of parliamentary committees.
Members of the caucus say that the lack of timely financial releases has left several committees unable to perform their core functions, with planned activities stalled due to insufficient funds.
On Friday, June 7, the matter was brought to the floor by Dominic Nitiwul, Chairman of the Assurances Committee and Member of Parliament for Bimbilla. He made a passionate appeal to the Finance Minister to urgently release the funds necessary for Parliament to carry out its constitutional mandate.
“Parliament is now literally begging for money to enable its committees to function. As a committee chair, I could not access funds to carry out our duties. We had a scheduled workshop, but not even a cedi was released. Members across committees are fully aware that there is no money. Why aren’t we demanding that the Finance Minister release the funds?” he questioned.
His comments highlight growing frustration within the Minority, who argue that Parliament cannot be expected to play its oversight and legislative roles effectively without the required financial backing.
But the assertion was swiftly rejected by Majority Chief Whip Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor, who denied that Parliament was facing any funding challenges.
“They are alleging that Parliament is struggling to do what? As Members of Parliament, our salaries and allowances have been paid. The Finance Minister has released funds, and no one has officially raised concerns about not being paid,” he countered.
The opposing views underscore growing tension within the House over the state of parliamentary financing and how it affects governance and accountability.
