The Finance Minister, Dr. Casiel Ato Forson has directed that, effective April 03,2025, no government contract shall be approved without prior commencement authorization from the Finance Ministry. The directive is in line with the recently amended Public Financial Management Act 2025, which talks about measures to prevent fiscal indiscipline.
According to him, the directive is a decisive step to enforce fiscal discipline, ensure accountability and end the culture of financial recklessness in public administration.
Speaking at a recent meeting held with Chief Directors and senior officials of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Dr. Ato Forson said “I made it unequivocally clear, you cannot award contracts without the express approval of the Ministry of Finance”
He added that “Every contract must now receive commencement authorization, no commencement certificate, no procurement.
Dr. Ato Forson said that it is not a mere bureaucratic process but a legal requirement and thus a breach of the directive would attract severe repercussions.
He therefore urged all public officials to act with integrity and a deep sense of national duty.
“We are among the privileged few-we must not continue to subject our people to hardship through negligence or abuse of public resources, restoring trust in public service begins with transparency, responsibility and discipline in implementing the national budget and that journey commences immediately, he concluded.
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