The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says the Minority in Parliament has successfully cut the extravagant allocation to the “notorious contingency vote” from GH¢1.4 billion to GH¢533 million.

The lawmaker made the revelation on Facebook.

“We have also successfully cut the extravagant allocation to the notorious Contingency Vote from GH¢1.4 billion to GH¢533 million,” he posted on Facebook.

The Contingency Vote is a Vote under the “Other Govern­ment Obligations” in the budget which is ap­proved by the Finance Committee and passed as part of the annual Appropriation Acts passed by Parliament.

Speaking before the Adhoc Committee of Parliament hearing the censure motion brought against him on Friday, November 18, 2022, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta said in preparing the budget, provisions are made for indicative expenditures that have not been fully costed at the time of the budget presentation, and provisions are made in the contingency vote to cater for such expenditures.

Citing Ghana’s Participation in the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014, Ofori Atta said there was no specific allocation in the 2014 budget for Ghana’s participation.

He added that the Cabinet of President John Mahama had, in March 2014, approved some $9.622 million for that tournament, including that amount that was flown to Brazil in a private jet for the players.

Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta also denied claims that he withdrew funds from the contingency fund for the National Cathedral project he said it was rather funds from the contingency Vote that were used for the project.

According to the finance minister, the contingency fund and the contingency vote are two different things that should not be confused.

“I did not withdraw funds from the contingency fund for the National Cathedral. “The withdrawals were lawfully done from the contingency vote and not from the contingency fund, as alleged by the proponents,” he told the committee on Friday, November 18.