Ho Central MP Benjamin Kpodo has accused the Finance Ministry of failing to operate as mandated by the constitution.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Wednesday, he stated that the Ministry has violated constitutional provisions for some time now.

He explained that “District Assembly Common Fund is a constitutional threshold and Article 25 22 mandates the Ministry of Finance to put in that fund not less than 5% of total revenue but this Ministry of Finance particularly has failed to live by the provisions of the constitution.”

His comments come in the wake of the Ministry’s delay in releasing the District Assemblies Common Fund since 2018.

As of now, the government owes the fund more than ¢6 billion.

“In 2018, the provided funds were short by ¢381.5 million, in 2019, they are owing ¢636 million, in 2020, they failed to transfer over ¢1 billion and in 2021, they did not transfer ¢1 billion and ¢519 million and then last year, they informed the common fund of how much is was entitled - ¢2.908 billion out of which they released in cash only ¢300 million,” he said.

He went on to say that the Assembly Fund is the only source of funding hence the failure of the ministry to provide funding.

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has threatened to block any business in Parliament that has to do with the Finance Ministry if the Minister does not immediately release funds to the District Assemblies Common Fund.