A public disagreement has erupted between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) over claims that more than GH¢1.6 billion has been released for agricultural programmes in 2026, with both sides presenting conflicting figures on budget execution.
The Ministry of Finance maintains that it has released over GH¢1.6 billion to MoFA, representing approximately 85% of the ministry’s 2026 budget allocation for Goods and Services and Capital Expenditure (CAPEX).
According to the Finance Ministry, disbursements for Goods and Services stand at 94.73%, while CAPEX releases have reached 74.66%, which it says demonstrates strong budget performance. It explained that all releases except those to the National Food Buffer Stock Company were initiated by MoFA through the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), with each transaction backed by proper documentation.
However, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has strongly disputed these figures, describing them as inconsistent with official budget execution documents from the Finance Ministry itself.
MoFA argues that although a Commitment Authorization was issued on February 15, 2026, the subsequent First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter dated February 19 capped its total expenditure for the first half of the year at GH¢910 million. The ministry stated that actual spending between January and June 2026 was further restricted to approximately GH¢453 million to cover staff compensation, operational costs, and contractual obligations.
MoFA listed allocations for key programmes as follows:
- Farmer Service Centres – GH¢172.5 million
- Nkokonkitinkiti Programme – GH¢36.75 million
- Fertiliser and Certified Seeds – GH¢77.3 million
- Feed Ghana Programme – GH¢4.5 million
- National Food Buffer Stock Company – GH¢30 million
- Irrigation infrastructure – GH¢26.25 million
The ministry insists it has not received any subsequent authorisation from the Finance Ministry to support the claim of GH¢1.6 billion in releases beyond the stated ceilings. It has attached relevant Commitment Authorization letters and allotment documents to back its position.
MoFA’s media liaison officer, Samuel Huntor, maintained that “the facts speak for themselves,” and called for greater transparency and accuracy in the reporting of public financial data.
The dispute continues to highlight tensions between the two ministries over budget execution and financial reporting for the agriculture sector.
Editor:
Obiri-Yeboah
