Government concealed ECOWAS aid application for Akosombo Dam victims despite approval of US$200,000 - Ablakwa

The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has raised questions about the transparency of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government concerning financial assistance for the victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage.

This comes after he took to Twitter to share intercepted documents from the ECOWAS Commission, revealing that Ghana had secured a substantial amount of US$200,000.00 (GHS2.4 million) in support from ECOWAS, a fact not disclosed to Parliament or the Ghanaian public.

The MP expressed his concerns, stating, "Why has the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government concealed from Parliament and the Ghanaian people that they had additionally applied to ECOWAS for financial support for the Akosombo dam spillage flood victims?"

The purported intercepted documents from the ECOWAS Commission unveiled the approval of the financial aid following Ghana's application, adding a layer of complexity to the government's financial narrative.

The MP highlighted a significant timeline discrepancy in the government's disclosures.

"When Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the 2024 Budget on November 15, 2023, he only disclosed government’s applications to the World Bank and the Global Shield Against Climate Risk Fund," the MP remarked.

He referred to specific sections of the budget, pointing out paragraphs 29 and 30 on page 5, which exclusively mentioned these funding sources.

He also underscored that the ECOWAS application had been made two weeks before the budget presentation in Parliament, as evidenced by the intercepted documents.

Ablakwa pledged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Caucus in Parliament would promptly demand full disclosure and total accountability on all government requests for funding submitted to international organizations.

Below is his tweet.

Why has the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government concealed from Parliament and the Ghanaian people that they had additionally applied to ECOWAS for financial support for the Akosombo dam spillage flood victims?

Intercepted documents from the ECOWAS Commission show that ECOWAS has… pic.twitter.com/oEcYE81GxI

— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) December 19, 2023