News:
July 8, 2026
Minority alleges Attorney-General directed unlawful release of funds despite court garnishee order, as Central Bank refused to comply
The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of constitutional violations and potential corruption over the withdrawal of GH¢350 million earmarked for flood victims, alleging that the funds were moved through unauthorised channels while a court garnishee order against the Contingency Fund remained unresolved.
At a press conference on Wednesday, the Minority revealed a letter dated 1 July 2026 from the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice to the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, in which the Attorney-General acknowledged that the Contingency Fund was “the subject of garnishee proceeding” but nonetheless directed the central bank to release the funds “notwithstanding those proceedings” based on his own “considered opinion” about the national emergency.
The Minority argued that the Attorney-General’s directive constituted an attempt to override a court process through executive fiat, noting that court orders can only be varied, discharged, or set aside by the courts that issued them. “In the Republic of Ghana, court processes are not overridden by the considered opinion of any Minister,” the statement read.
According to the Minority, the situation worsened when the Ministry of Finance subsequently announced that the GH¢350 million had been released from the Contingency Fund, despite the unresolved garnishee proceedings. The Minority contended that if the Contingency Fund remained under attachment, the funds must have been drawn from an alternative public account that Parliament never approved.
The Minority identified multiple constitutional violations, including breaches of Articles 1(2), 125, 177, 178, and 88 of the Constitution, and accused the government of deceiving Parliament by concealing the garnishee proceedings when seeking approval for the withdrawal on 29 June 2026.
The Minority demanded that the Attorney-General and Finance Minister appear before Parliament to produce all relevant records, including the garnishee order, account statements, and transfer advice. They also called on the Governor of the Bank of Ghana to publicly state whether the bank declined to comply with the Attorney-General’s directive and to reveal which account was actually debited.
The Minority further called for the immediate resignation of the Attorney-General, arguing that he had failed in diligence by allowing a constitutional fund to be attached, failed in candour by concealing the matter from Parliament, and exposed himself to contempt proceedings. “Should he fail to do the honourable thing, we call on the President to relieve him of office without delay,” the Minority stated, adding that they would pursue parliamentary inquiry and Supreme Court action if answers were not forthcoming.
Ghanamps.com