John Dramani Mahama, flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has issued a stern warning that his party will not tolerate any attempt to divert funds meant for drought victims in Northern Ghana to individuals sympathetic to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The government has requested GHS 500 million from the contingency fund to support affected farmers, pending parliamentary approval.
Speaking at a rally in Ayorya, Kintampo South District of the Bono Region, Mahama emphasized the need for fair and impartial distribution of the relief funds, regardless of political affiliations.
He expressed concern that the NPP might misuse the funds, drawing parallels to the alleged mismanagement of COVID-19 relief funds.
Mahama called on the government to involve local chiefs in the distribution process to ensure transparency and accountability.
He stated, “The NPP has made things difficult and because of their bad luck, it didn’t rain this year. As we speak, Parliament is yet to approve compensation for the drought victims. We won’t allow them to share the funds among themselves like they did with the COVID funds.”
“The support must reach the intended beneficiaries, and we’ll be watching closely. The chiefs must be allowed to be part of the distribution process.”