Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has accused the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration of using a GHS3,000 per person relief package, supposedly aimed at farmers affected by drought, as a ploy to influence voters ahead of the December 2024 elections.

Speaking during the opening of the fifth meeting of the fourth session of the 8th Parliament on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, Dr. Forson claimed the government’s intention to distribute the funds to 800,000 individuals is more of a vote-buying scheme than a genuine effort to assist farmers in need.

He revealed that the government plans to allocate GHS500 million from the Contingency Fund for this relief effort, raising concerns about the true motives behind the initiative.

Dr. Forson criticized the government for its poor management of public funds, drawing parallels to previous instances where funds, such as those for COVID-19 interventions, were misused. He argued that the current relief package is a continuation of the same pattern of mismanagement, contributing to Ghana's economic struggles.

Several MPs echoed Dr. Forson’s concerns, questioning the timing and nature of the relief in an election year. They pointed out instances where resources meant for farmers, such as fertilizers, were allegedly diverted by New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates. This raised suspicions that the relief package is part of a larger scheme to secure political favor.

Additionally, the MPs challenged the government's classification of the situation as a drought, with many insisting that the dry spell in the northern region does not meet the criteria for a full-blown drought. They also questioned the basis for selecting 800,000 beneficiaries, noting the absence of clear data to support the figure and raising doubts about how the relief will be distributed.

Dr. Forson concluded by cautioning against the use of borrowed funds for what he described as consumption-related expenditures, warning that such actions will only worsen the country's economic woes.