Parliament acting the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has instructed the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to compensate farmers who suffered losses due to avian influenza or the Bird Flu outbreak between 2015 and 2018.

The Public Accounts Committee Chairman, James Klutse Avedzi, emphasised that the directive should be implemented within one month.

He warned that if the ministry fails to comply within the stipulated timeframe, it will be summoned before the house for questioning.

“I am sure you have a list of the farms that are affected and a certificate for destroying the birds as well. All that you need is to have the affected farmers’ bank details to do the transfer, and I am sure that you have the contact details of these farmers."

“So we are giving you one month to disburse the monies to them quickly. Call them so that they will give their bank details so you can do the transfer for them.”

The 2022 Auditor General’s Report revealed that a significant portion of the allocated compensation funds, exceeding GH¢1.8 million, remains unused in the Ministry’s account.

The Ministry of Agriculture contends that the funds have not been distributed because affected farmers have not provided the necessary details to the Ministry.