(1) Subject to sections 44, 45, and 46, the Minister may, if satisfied that —
(a) no funds have been appropriated or for which the sum appropriated is insufficient;
(b) funds cannot be reallocated as provided for in section 43, and funds cannot be deferred without being detrimental to the public service;
(c) there has arisen an urgent and unforeseen need for expenditure for which no other provision was made,
by a Contingencies Fund Warrant, and in anticipation of the approval of an appropriation by the House of Assembly, make a withdrawal from the Contingencies Fund to meet such need.
(2) The total of the sums authorized to be advanced from the Contingencies Fund shall not exceed the total sum authorized under the appropriation law.
(3) Where an advance is made from the Contingencies Fund under this section a Supplementary Estimate of the sum required for the service for which such advance was made shall be laid before the House of Assembly as soon as possible but in any event not later than 4 months from the date on which the Contingencies Fund Warrant was issued and shall be included in a Supplementary Appropriation Bill for appropriation.
(4) On the grant of an appropriation to meet the expenditure in respect of which an advance was made under this section, the Contingencies Fund Warrant authorizing that advance lapses and ceases to have effect and the advance is deemed to have been made for the purpose of the appropriation and shall be accounted for in the prescribed manner.
(5) For the purposes of this section, “urgent” means the country is impacted by a disaster and life or quality of life is seriously compromised by the disaster.