Minister for Finance Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has issued a firm directive banning the approval of any government contract without prior commencement authorization from the Ministry, effective April 3, 2025.
This directive is a bold move to tackle waste, promote accountability, and restore sanity to public spending. The Minister says the directive is also aimed at curbing the long-standing culture of financial recklessness in public administration
The Minister issued the directive to Chief Directors and senior officials from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), describing the measure as a non-negotiable legal requirement grounded in the recently amended Public Financial Management Act, 2025.
“This is not business as usual,” the Minister asserted. “You cannot award contracts without the express approval of the Ministry of Finance. Every contract must now receive commencement authorisation. No commencement certificate, no procurement.”
The Minister emphasized that principal spending officers will be held personally accountable for any breaches.
The Ministry of Finance, he noted, will no longer shoulder the burden of poor spending decisions taken unilaterally by MDAs.
“Any breach of this directive will attract serious consequences. If you are a principal spending officer and you violate this directive, you will be held personally accountable,” he warned.
The bold measure sends a clear message to public officials. He says responsibility, integrity, and discipline must now define the conduct of public financial management.
The directive is part of a broader effort to restore public trust in the government’s handling of national resources.
