Deep cracks have emerged in Ghana’s Parliament over the availability of funds for legislative work, as committee activities stall due to what some MPs call deliberate delays by the Ministry of Finance in releasing operational resources.
Raising the alarm on the floor of the House, Chairman of the Assurances Committee and MP for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul, lamented that critical parliamentary functions are grinding to a halt. He revealed that several committees have had to cancel planned workshops and oversight duties due to a lack of funding, leaving Parliament “begging for money.”
“As a committee chair, I couldn’t access a single cedi for our activities. This is unacceptable. Parliament must demand accountability from the Finance Minister,” Nitiwul stressed.
The comments have reignited a long-standing concern about the autonomy and effectiveness of Parliament as a co-equal arm of government, particularly its ability to conduct oversight and hold the Executive accountable without financial interference.
But in a swift rebuttal, Majority Chief Whip Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor downplayed the concerns, claiming there is no official record of financial distress within Parliament. “Our salaries and allowances have been paid. Funds have been released. There is no crisis,” he asserted.
The disagreement underscores growing tensions between the Minority and Majority over transparency in fiscal management, as Parliament prepares for intense scrutiny of national expenditure in the second half of the year.
Observers warn that if unresolved, the funding standoff could paralyze parliamentary accountability processes at a time when public demand for oversight and prudent governance is at an all-time high.
