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Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has said the government has so far released GHS278.57 this year under its flagship programme Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and is working to avert the issue of shortage of fertilizers under the programme.

“Mr Speaker, at the end of 2021 an amount of GH¢86.31 million was outstanding, under the PFJ programme. This amount has now been released to MOFA for payment. This year, MOFA has requested an amount of GHS485.90 million for payment under the PFJ programme. An amount of GHS278.57 million has subsequently been released to MOFA.

“Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Finance has over the last five years (2017-2021) made budgetary provisions to enable the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to allocate funds to cover all its programmes and projects, including the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme. During this period, there has been, a cumulative release of GH¢2.47 billion to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to pay for commitments under this programme,” the Minister said.

Mr Ofori-Atta was responding to a question posed by Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa East, Godfred Seidu on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, regarding when the Ministry of Finance will issue financial clearance to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to clear the large debt owed partners and suppliers to ensure availability of subsidized fertilizer under government’s much-touted PFJ programme.

The Minister said the problem of shortage of fertilizer under the programme occasioned by the geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine is one thing that the government is working assiduously to resolve and is doing so starting with the disbursement of GHS278.57 million out of the GHS485.90 million requested by the Ministry for Food and Agriculture for the programme.