Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has filed a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament seeking sweeping reforms to Ghana’s public financial system. The bill proposes that no Ministry, Department or Agency (MDA) should receive public funds unless its development plan is formally certified by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC).
The bill, titled “The Public Financial Management (Amendment) Act, 2025,” seeks to amend Section 17 of the existing Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921). It introduces firm prohibitions against the release or expenditure of funds including Internally Generated Funds (IGFs) without prior NDPC certification.
“It’s time to bring order and discipline to how public resources are planned and spent,” Oppong Nkrumah said in an interview.
“Too many government agencies operate without clear alignment to the national development strategy, leading to waste and fragmentation.”
The proposed amendment introduces three key provisions:
Mandatory NDPC Certification: It would be unlawful for the Finance Minister to approve, release, or authorize expenditure from the Consolidated Fund or any other public fund without proof that an MDA’s development plan is aligned with the national development plan.
Restriction on IGF Usage: MDAs would also be barred from using internally generated funds without NDPC-certified plans.
Sanctions for Non-compliance: Any public officer who authorizes expenditure in breach of these provisions would face administrative sanctions under Section 98 of the principal Act.
The proposed bill will legally bar the Minister for Finance from approving or disbursing funds for any MDA unless that institution’s plans and programmes have been certified as consistent with the national development plan. The same restrictions will apply to the use of IGFs.
“We are not trying to create bottlenecks,” Oppong Nkrumah clarified. “We’re simply saying: before any money is released be it from the Consolidated Fund or internally generated revenue there should be a national-level check to ensure the spending is purposeful and coherent.”
He emphasized that although Section 21 of the current Act requires that budgets be based on approved plans, compliance has been weak due to the absence of enforcement provisions.
“Right now, there’s no real consequence for bypassing the NDPC. This bill gives the Commission the teeth to enforce its mandate,” he added.
The draft legislation also proposes administrative sanctions for any public officer who authorizes spending in breach of these new requirements. Such breaches would be considered violations of the Act, attracting penalties under Section 98.
“This is not about politics. It’s about protecting the public purse and ensuring that every cedi spent contributes meaningfully to Ghana’s development goals,” the Former Minister for Information stressed.
The bill’s explanatory memorandum highlights what it calls a “recurring phenomenon” where MDAs receive state funds or spend internally generated revenue without any certified development plan. This, it argues, leads to duplication of efforts, poor coordination, and inefficient use of scarce public resources.
“This legislation ensures that national planning is not treated as an afterthought but as a prerequisite for funding,” the Ofoase Ayirebi MP concluded.
According to Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, he has filed documents at the office of the Clerk to Parliament to formally lay the bill before the House. The bill is expected to go through the necessary processes, including debate and possible committee review. If passed, it would mark a significant shift in how Ghana links planning to fiscal accountability.