US Supreme Court Rejects Donald Trump Bid To Withhold $2 Billion In Foreign Aid
The US Supreme Court has rejected a request by the Trump administration to withhold nearly $2 billion worth of payments to foreign aid organisations for work they have already performed for the government.
It backed a lower court ruling asking the administration to unfreeze the fund for contractors and recipients of grants from the US Agency for International Development and the State Department.
Source: Getty Images
In February, a district judge, Amir Ali, ordered the State Department and USAID to pay for the work already done by midnight on 26 February.
As the deadline approached, the Trump administration sought emergency relief from the Supreme Court, arguing it was impossible to process claims in an orderly fashion in such a short time.
BBC reported that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued a brief administrative stay before the full court acted on President Trump's request.
On March 5, the top court in a narrow 5-4 decision declined to halt the lower court order that required the Trump administration to unfreeze the payment.
Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid on his first day back in office on January 20.
That order, and ensuing stop-work orders halting USAID operations around the world, have jeopardized delivery of life-saving food and medical aid, throwing global humanitarian relief efforts into chaos.
USAID's work in Ghana has spanned increasing agricultural production, employment opportunities, and income for the poor, improving the quality of health services and education, and strengthening local government institutions.
President John Mahama directed the Finance Minister to bridge the funding gaps created by the suspension of USAID's international funding programme. These gaps are estimated at $156 million, which is not in the top 10 for Africa.
Scientists in Ghana are set to take a big hit from the departure of USAID and this will have ripple effects on other parts of Ghanaian society.
Reports indicated that 15 different research projects being implemented by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are in danger of collapse because of USAID's departure.
Source: YEN.com.gh
