The government has intensified oversight of public procurement through a strengthened commitment authorisation regime and the planned establishment of a Value for Money Office, measures officials say are aimed at preventing corruption before it occurs and safeguarding public funds.
Speaking on the Government Accountability Series, Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, explained that all procurements above approved thresholds must now receive commitment authorisation from the Ministry of Finance before payments can be made. Without that approval, contractors and suppliers risk not being paid, regardless of whether services have been delivered.
According to the minister, the system empowers authorities to scrutinise procurement requests in advance, assess their legality, and flag transactions that could potentially result in financial loss or corrupt practices. This approach, he noted, shifts the fight against corruption from reactive investigations to preventive controls embedded within public financial management processes.
“Every procurement within a certain threshold must obtain commitment authorisation. If you don’t get it, the Finance Minister is simply not going to pay,” Kwakye Ofosu said.
He added that the robustness of the framework explains the reduced incidence of procurement-related irregularities, as government entities are compelled to comply with strict approval processes rather than operate at discretion.
As part of efforts to deepen accountability, the Finance Ministry last year announced plans to set up a Value for Money Office, which will independently assess whether government procurement prices reflect market realities. The office is expected to examine costs across a range of items, from basic office supplies to essential medicines, to ensure taxpayers are not overcharged.
The proposed office will serve as an additional layer of checks and balances within the public procurement ecosystem, complementing existing financial controls and audit mechanisms.
Kwakye Ofosu emphasised that the administration’s anti-corruption strategy is rooted in institutional reform rather than rhetoric, noting that sustainable accountability can only be achieved through strong systems and consistent enforcement.
“Corruption is fought through a systems approach; it is not by bold and lofty declarations. It has to be done through firm action,” he stated.
The minister further disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama has directed that accountability must apply equally to officials within the current administration. Even where individuals manage to bypass safeguards, he said, sanctions would be enforced to maintain credibility and public trust.
He stressed that holding serving officials accountable is critical to the effectiveness of the anti-corruption drive, as it ensures misconduct is addressed promptly rather than retrospectively. Over time, such a system would reduce the need for prolonged investigations into former officials, as breaches would be detected and resolved in real time.
