Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has disclosed that the government spent GH¢18.19 billion to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and households.
He said this when he went before Parliament to give an account of the COVID-19 expenditure.
“Mr. Speaker, to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on businesses and households, ensure that economic activities recover and minimize job losses, government mobilised GH¢18.19 billion out of the programmed GH¢19.3 billion in 2020 from various funding sources,” the Minister said.
Out of the Gh¢18.19 billion, Mr Ofori-Atta said the government budgeted Gh¢1,203,715,085.77 to finance the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme.
He gave a further breakdown showing GH¢1.5 billion was disbursed under the Support to Households Programme, GH¢1 billion allocated to health response supplies equipment and relief for health workers, and GH¢600 million was released to begin the construction [of Agenda 111 health facilities] across the country.
The Finance Minister also noted that the government allocated GH¢200 million for the provision of free water and electricity for lifeline consumers during the Covid-19 pandemic, but GH¢143 million was subsequently spent.
He explained that the government absorbed 50% of all “electricity bills for all residential and commercial customers.”
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
