MoFA challenges Finance ministry's GH¢1.6bn funding claim

The government is facing conflicting claims from within its own administration over how much money has been made available for agricultural programmes this year, with the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) presenting sharply different figures.

At the centre of the disagreement is a claim by the Finance Ministry that it has released more than GH¢1.6 billion to MoFA in 2026 equivalent to about 85% of the ministry's budget allocation for Goods and Services and Capital Expenditure (CAPEX).

MoFA, however, says official budget documents issued by the Finance Ministry tell a different story.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, expenditure for the first half of the year was capped at GH¢910 million under a Budget Allotment Letter issued on 19 February, with actual spending between January and June limited to approximately GH¢453 million.

The competing accounts have raised questions about how government funding releases are being measured and reported, particularly for a sector at the centre of efforts to boost food production and reduce import dependence.

In its defence, the Finance Ministry said releases for Goods and Services had reached 94.73%, while CAPEX disbursements stood at 74.66%.

It also maintained that the release process followed established public financial management procedures, noting that nearly all requests originated from MoFA through the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), with supporting requisitions, approvals and warrant numbers.

But MoFA argues that commitment authorisations do not necessarily translate into approved expenditure ceilings.

The ministry said a Commitment Authorisation issued on 15 February was subsequently followed by a First and Second Quarter Budget Allotment Letter that limited spending authority for the first six months of the year.

According to MoFA, allocations under the approved spending framework included GH¢172.5 million for Farmer Service Centres, GH¢77.3 million for fertiliser and certified seeds, GH¢36.75 million for the Nkokonkitinkiti Programme, GH¢30 million for the National Food Buffer Stock Company, GH¢26.25 million for irrigation infrastructure and GH¢4.5 million for the Feed Ghana Programme.

The ministry said it had not received any additional authorisation that would justify the Finance Ministry's assertion that more than GH¢1.6 billion had been released.

In a statement, MoFA questioned the basis of the Finance Ministry's figures, arguing that public financial management should be assessed through official allotments and cash releases rather than broader release commitments.

Its media liaison officer, Samuel Huntor, said supporting documentation had been made available and urged accuracy and transparency in discussions about public expenditure.

The disagreement highlights differing interpretations of budget execution within government and comes as agriculture remains a key pillar of the administration's economic and food security agenda.