Afenyo Markin questions missing GH₵20,000 constituency funds in 2026 budget
The Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo Markin has raised significant concerns about what he describes as a major omission in the 2026 national budget. According to him the Finance Minister failed to account for GH₵20,000 that was reportedly disbursed to every National Democratic Congress constituency office by the President as part of a constituency support initiative.
Addressing Parliament Afenyo Markin said the matter raises serious questions about fiscal transparency. According to him once funds are publicly mentioned in national announcements or are provided to political party structures they must reflect clearly in the national budget especially if they originated from state funds.
He argued that the absence of the GH₵20,000 allocation in the budget statement creates suspicion and undermines public trust. He stated that the Finance Minister must clarify the source the purpose and the legal basis for the disbursement to avoid what he calls a dangerous precedent.
The Minority Leader further cautioned that political party support must never be confused with state resource management. He emphasised that public funds must always be accounted for in accordance with national laws and auditing requirements. Anything short of that he warned could open the door to misuse of taxpayer money.
Government communicators responded that the funds were not sourced from the state budget and therefore did not require inclusion in the national statement. They insisted that the disbursement was from internal party mobilisation and did not fall within the government’s fiscal obligations.
The explanation did not satisfy the Minority Leader who insisted that the public deserves absolute clarity to avoid confusion between party activities and state expenditures. He called for full disclosure including documentation that proves the funds were not drawn from government accounts.
Some political analysts say the controversy reflects increasing scrutiny of public finance management ahead of the next election cycle. They note that both the Minority and Majority are under pressure to demonstrate accountability and responsible governance.
Civil society organisations have also begun calling for an independent verification of the claims. They argue that political financing remains one of the least transparent areas of governance in Ghana and greater scrutiny is required.
As debate continues the Finance Committee of Parliament is expected to invite the Ministry of Finance for clarification. Ghanaians will be watching closely as transparency issues remain central to public confidence.
