The ministries of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Tourism, Arts and Culture have had their budgets approved for the 2024 financial year.
The total allocation approved for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Ministry was GH₡298,772,253 million and the allocation for Tourism, Arts and Culture was GH₡175,388.99 million.
Both allocations were approved by Parliament on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 after the respective committees presented their reports, which were then debated by Members.
The Deputy Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Moses Anim and the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mohammed Awal, were present in the House and moved their motions for approval.
FISHERIES MINISTRY
Moses Anim, in moving the motion, told the House that the amount will help the ministry manage the marine space, fish health and post-harvest management and handling, among others.
The ministry, he said, would continue to develop more fisheries and aquaculture centres across the country.
“So, Mr. Speaker, by and large, this amount is going to support us,” he stated.
The Chairman of the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, John Osei Frimpong, said in presenting the committee’s report that they had perused the estimates and were satisfied with them.
The Ranking Member, Eric Opoku, in seconding the motion, raised concern about inadequate releases of funds to the ministry, arguing that technically the ministry had no funds to work with. He said out of the over GH₡200 million allocation for 2023, about GH₡80 million was released.
On premix fuel, he said the ministry, in 2023, targeted to supply 107 million litres but could only do 25 million, which had been discharged as of September.
He said the ministry told the committee that the suppliers were not willing to supply due to the exchange rate vulnerability, compelling the ministry to purchase from the open market at its prevailing price. “And that explains why fish prices are going up,” he remarked.
The MP for South Dayi, Rockson Defeamakpor, referenced the ministry’s plan to register canoes and said that project had already begun in his constituency, but had some reservations about the exercise.
He noticed in the report that the Fisheries Ministry gave 16 life jackets to 80 fishing communities and said it was not adequate, as “there will be a fight” if 80 people are to share 16 life jackets.
He commended the ministry for initiating construction of the automated premix fuel site and urged the minister to liaise with the respective MPs to extend electricity to the site.
In wrapping up, the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Mavis Hawa Koomson, indicated her readiness to work with the South Dayi MP to extend electricity to the premix fuel site.
Responding to the life jacket issue, she said it was not the duty of the ministry to provide fishermen with life jackets, however, they had it and chose to give it out.
She said that the issuance of the canoe identification card was to enable the ministry to identify the number of canoes in a particular community and to aid in the supply of inputs in both inland and coastal areas.
Hawa Koomson commended the Ranking Member for urging the minister for finance to release more resources to the Fisheries Ministry.
“With these few words, Mr. Speaker, I will urge the House to approve the stated amount for the Fisheries Ministry so that we can do much,” she ended.
After putting the question for those in favour and against, the Ayes had it, “and that this House approves the sum of GH₡298,772,253 million for the services of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development for the year ending 31st December, 2023,” the Second Deputy Speaker, Andrew Amoako Asiamah, said.
TOURISM MINISTRY
The Chairman of the Committee, MP for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah, presented the Committee’s report and informed the House that the Committee was recommending to the House to approve the allocation.
The Ranking Member on the Committee of Trades, Industry and Tourism referred to their report and said the amount allocated for tourism product development was worrying.
He argued that considering the plans for 2024 tourism product development, the budgetary allocation should have been more than last year.
He raised concern over the allocation of over GH₡85 million for the purposes of compensations for 2024, as compared to GH₡62 million for last year – an upward review of 37%, which he found intriguing and asked the House to look at it.
Meanwhile, he ended by urging the House to approve the entire allocation.
Bright Wireko-Brobbey, MP for Hemang Lower Denkyira, made reference to the agencies under the ministry in his contribution and claimed that apart from tourism, all the others were not viable, as they were being starved financially.
He urged the Ministry of Finance to work with them to release funds for the agencies to be able to complete their projects, which have stalled.
He made particular mention of the Ghana Bureau of Languages, saying that their allocations should be released to them, as their work is critical with regards to the culture of the country.
The chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, MP for Ketu North, James Klutse Avedzi, raised concern about the entire allocation.
He told the House that the 2023 allocation for the ministry was over GH₡180 million and by September, this year, they had spent about 97%, explaining that it is likely that the ministry will overspend by December 2023.
On that basis, he wondered how the 2024 allocation of GH₡175 million would hold the ministry for the entire year and called for an increase.
At the conclusion of the debate, the question was put and the House approved the allocation.
