The Finance Minister has revealed that the government spent GH¢143 million on the provision of free water and electricity for lifeline consumers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ken Ofori-Atta said that even though GH¢200 million was budgeted for the policy, not all was expended.

He disclosed this while delivering his statement on the government’s expenditure during the pandemic in Parliament on Wednesday, June 22.

 According to him, the said expenditure was necessary to cushion Ghanaians during the peak of the outbreak.

“In 2021, a total allocation of GH¢200 million was made for the provision of free water and electricity for lifeline consumers, out of which GH¢143 million was utilized.”

He explained that the government also absorbed 50% of all “electricity bills for all residential and commercial customers.“

Mr. Ofori-Atta also rejected allegations that the government has not been transparent with its COVID-19 expenditure.

“Mr Speaker, at this juncture, I wish to dispel the notion that there have been inconsistencies in government data on Covid-19. The President intimated during the State of the Nation Address on March 30, 2022, that we had mobilized about Gh¢17.7 billion since 2020 to fight the pandemic.

Meanwhile, he also said hot meals were provided to a total of 2,744,723 persons during the Covid-19 lockdown in Greater Accra, Kasoa, and Greater Kumasi.

Breaking down the expenditure further, Mr. Ofori-Atta said “a total amount of ¢12.1 million was utilised for the distribution of the packed hot food in Accra, Tema, Kasoa, and Greater Kumasi.”

“This includes the cost of transportation of packed food in some suburbs of Greater Kumasi by NADMO. The expenditure for the provision of hot meals during the lockdown served about 2,744,723 persons for the period of the lockdown at a unit cost of ¢4.32.”